A book launching ceremony of ‘Punjab Katehray Mein’ penned by senior journalist Amjad Nawaz Warraich held at Alhamra Art Council Hall-III, The Mall.
PPP senior leader Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan was the chief guest of the ceremony while noted speakers were senior journalist Sohail Warraich, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jhang Dr. Nabila Rehman, Punjab University History Department Head Dr. Mehboob Hussain and LUMS Professor Dr. Zahid Hussain.
Aitzaz Ahsan addressing the jam-packed audience said the book has initiated the debate on the question of whether Punjabi people welcomed the invaders or they really fought against them.
He appreciated the author daring to counter one of the most difficult yet frequent allegations on Punjabis and its intelligentsia, that they supported the invader army each and every time.
PPP leader said the allegation of supporting invaders had no truth in it and it was merely propaganda against the people of Punjab.
Aitzaz Ahsan—author of the book The Indus Saga—said that from Dullah Bhaati to Rai Ahmed Khan Kharral, there were countless local heroes who fought bravely to defend the motherland. He pointed out, however, due to a lack of technology the locals faced defeats.
Sohail Warraich addressing the audience termed the book an important historical document that will help future researchers and historians to know facts about Punjab's real history.
Amjad Warraich said he penned this book during his stay in the United States. “It was COVID-19 pandemic quarantine time when I ended up with the idea of writing a research-based book to answer the allegations on Punjabi people.”
Amjad quoted Jamaican political activist and journalist Marcus Garvey: “People without the knowledge of the past history origin and culture are like a tree without roots.”
Warraich also disclosed that the manuscript of Part II of this book has been submitted to the Publisher as well and soon readers will be able to next part of the book.
Dr. Nabila Rehman addressing the audience—full of writers, journalists, lawyers, bureaucrats, academicians, and political activists—praised the writer for choosing a such topic.
She announced including the book in the BS Punjabi degree program as the book’s bibliography itself speaks volumes that it author burned the midnight oil to seek references from history books.
Dr. Nabila urged youngsters and the educated class along with the layman of the province to own the Punjabi language to preserve the cultural and historical landscape of Punjab.
Dr. Mehboob Hussain gave a number of references from the book and stressed that journalists and academicians could together counter such false narratives on Punjab people.
“The book answered and rejected the narrative of welcoming foreign invaders with facts. This book will the first drop of rain to initiate the debate on such questions that needs collective wisdom of intelligentsia to answer it,” he added.
Dr. Zahid from LUMS said it would take time to fully counter the so-called allegations on Punjab but all is not lost and intellectual debate is needed—like the book Punjab Katehray Mein—to educate the next generations to preserve our history in the right manner.
He pointed out that the book may have been written in the Punjabi language. Abdullah Malik moderated the session. The book is available at Sagar Publication.