Saeed Mehdi’s book ‘The Eyewitness: Standing in the Shadows of Pakistan‘s History’, published by Lightstone Publishers, was launched in Karachi on Monday.
The book launch ceremony was attended by over 500 guests including Sirajuddin Aziz, Banking Ombudsman, Miftah Ismail, Azad Iqbal, grandson of Allama Iqbal, Syed Naved Husain, Aftab Nabi, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, and Saeed Mehdi’s wife Zarnab and daughter Rubab.
The speakers were Shazia Marri, Dr Ishrat Husain, General Moeenuddin Haider, Mazhar Abbas, Nawab Kaifee and Ameena Saiyid, MD Lightstone Publishers and Director Adab Festival. Lightstone Publishers directors Nadia Ghani, Omayr Aziz Saiyid, Saadia Mirza and Raheela Baqai managed the proceedings. Shayma Saiyid sang ‘Watan ki Mitti Gawan Rehna’.
On Saturday, Saeed Mehdi, former principal secretary to the prime minister and Sindh chief secretary, had said at a press conference called to announce the publication of his memoir that “people may appreciate or critically analyse my humble undertaking but it’s a variety of experiences that shape our history and I leave it to the historians to honour the ultimate truth.”
Mehdi had said: “People may appreciate or critically analyse my humble undertaking, but it’s a variety of experiences that shape our history and I leave it to the historians to honour the ultimate truth.”
“I always knew what to say but it took me years since my release from Adiala Jail when to write. Finally I decided not to delay it further lest my memory or my life part ways for me. I had the opportunity to see dictators, sycophants, self-declared democrats of this country up and close and personal. I have been through so much ups and downs and seen so much that has been the privilege of very few.”
