KARACHI, Sep 20 (APP):The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi hosted the launch of civil servant and author Aziz Ahmed Zai’s memoir, Somewhere in Between—A Memoir, at Haseena Moin Hall, bringing together members of the literary, academic and cultural communities. The ceremony was presided over by Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, while President of the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah delivered the welcome address. Chief guest Rizwan Siddiqui, along with …
Arts Council hosts launch of Aziz Ahmed Zai’s memoir, “Somewhere in Between
KARACHI, Sep 20 (APP):The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi hosted the launch of civil servant and author Aziz Ahmed Zai’s memoir, Somewhere in Between—A Memoir, at Haseena Moin Hall, bringing together members of the literary, academic and cultural communities.
The ceremony was presided over by Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, while President of the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah delivered the welcome address. Chief guest Rizwan Siddiqui, along with Ghufran Ahmed, Dr Asim Jafri, Masroor Ahmed Zai, Syed Bilal Mehdi, Dr Syed Rashid Ali Jafri, Shiraz Siddiqui and Aimen Siddiqui, shared their views on the memoir and its author. Saadia Rashid also read an excerpt from the book.
A large number of literary and academic figures, as well as members of Aziz Ahmed Zai’s family, attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Ahmed Shah described Aziz Ahmed Zai as a close and valued associate and recalled his longstanding relationship with Aziz’s father, Anwar Zai. He said the author had presented his experiences, memories and observations with simplicity and spontaneity.
“As you read the book, you feel that what Aziz has written comes directly from his genuine feelings and personal experiences,” Shah said, congratulating the author, his family and friends on the publication.
Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said she had felt compelled to attend the launch after reading the memoir. She said she had initially wondered why the book had been written in English, but came to understand that much of Aziz Ahmed Zai’s educational and professional life had been spent in an English-speaking environment, making the choice of language natural.
She said one of the book’s most appealing features was the way it drew readers through the narrative. Rashdi also spoke about the significance of the memoir’s cover, saying it symbolised family, upbringing, affection and the passing of values from one generation to another.
Chief guest Rizwan Siddiqui said Aziz Ahmed Zai had woven his family’s intellectual, literary and cultural upbringing effectively into the memoir. While appreciating the work, he suggested that important events in the book could also be accompanied by dates or references to the relevant period, which would add to its documentary value and make it more useful to future researchers.
For Aziz Ahmed Zai, however, the memoir was closely intertwined with the memory of his father, Anwar Zai. He said he had not consciously set out to write a book centred on his father, yet his presence emerged throughout the memoir.
“The book begins with his name and ends with his mention,” he said, explaining that his father appeared on its pages sometimes directly and at other times in more subtle ways.
Aziz Ahmed Zai added that every reference to his father inevitably brought his mother into the story as well. He said his mother had shaped his father through love and affection, helping nurture the qualities for which he was remembered and cherished.
She had also encouraged a love of books and played an important role in establishing a library at home, he said, making reading and learning an integral part of the family’s upbringing.
