Altaf Husain
Encyclopedia
Altaf Husain (January 26, 1900 - May 25, 1968) was an eminent journalist
of the South Asia
. He was born on January 26, 1900 in Bangladesh
. He received his early education in Calcutta and then attended Dhaka University where he graduated with an M.A. (English).
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah appointed Altaf Husain the Editor of Dawn
and in this capacity he played a critically important part in the Pakistan movement
which lead to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslim
s of the South Asia
.
In 1942, his services were lent to the Government of India as Press Advisor. He was the member of a three-man panel along with C.P. Johnson of The Statesman
and S.A. Govindarajan of The Hindu
.
In 1959, Altaf Husain was awarded the Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam by the Government of Pakistan. From 1965 to 1968, Altaf Husain served as the Minister for Industries and Natural Resources in the Federal Government of Pakistan.
Altaf Husain died on May 25, 1968 in Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
.
Altaf Husain was not only the editor of Dawn
in Delhi and a very close confidant of the founder of Pakistan
, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
the president of all Pakistan Muslim League and the owner of Dawn
he expressed through his powerful pen the hopes and dreams of all the Muslims of South Asia through inspiring and passionate editorials. Jinnah gave him total freedom to run Dawn and its editorial policy. At one time he told Altaf Husain, "I do not want you to spare any one who stands on our way to achieve Pakistan. Even me. If you feel that I am failing somewhere" Jinnah's trust in his editor was unshakable.
Following post independence Jinnah wanted to publish Dawn newspaper from Karachi in 1947. He had the idea to publish two editions of his newspaper. Both from Delhi and Karachi. He instructed Altaf Husain to proceed to Karachi in early August 1947 with some senior staffs from his Delhi office to set up Dawn newspaper in Karachi. Yusuf Haroon
a young and energetic member of the Central Committee of Muslim League was given the task to provide facilities to the Dawn newspaper team led by Altaf Husain to publish Dawn newspaper by 14 August 1947, the day Pakistan was born. Altaf Husain with his usual zeal successfully completed his task. First Pakistani edition of Dawn newspaper was published on 15 August 1947. In the meantime Delhi Dawn newspaper office and its presses were burnt down by the Hindu extremist on 12 August 1947. Altaf Husain's third floor flat in New Delhi located at Sujan Singh Park was also set on fire by the Sikhs destroying every thing including many collection of valuable Books. Altaf Husain landed in Karachi with his family with a handful of suitcases on 7 August 1947. His dedication and call to his duties never wavered. Dawn newspaper was a single voice of the Muslims of India. Through the power of his pen he battled against influential newspapers of Hindu India and came up triumphs! The street in Karachi where Dawn was first published is now known as Altaf Husain Road.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
of the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. He was born on January 26, 1900 in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. He received his early education in Calcutta and then attended Dhaka University where he graduated with an M.A. (English).
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah appointed Altaf Husain the Editor of Dawn
Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
and in this capacity he played a critically important part in the Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
which lead to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s of the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
In 1942, his services were lent to the Government of India as Press Advisor. He was the member of a three-man panel along with C.P. Johnson of The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
and S.A. Govindarajan of The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
.
In 1959, Altaf Husain was awarded the Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam by the Government of Pakistan. From 1965 to 1968, Altaf Husain served as the Minister for Industries and Natural Resources in the Federal Government of Pakistan.
Altaf Husain died on May 25, 1968 in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Altaf Husain was not only the editor of Dawn
Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
in Delhi and a very close confidant of the founder of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
the president of all Pakistan Muslim League and the owner of Dawn
Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
he expressed through his powerful pen the hopes and dreams of all the Muslims of South Asia through inspiring and passionate editorials. Jinnah gave him total freedom to run Dawn and its editorial policy. At one time he told Altaf Husain, "I do not want you to spare any one who stands on our way to achieve Pakistan. Even me. If you feel that I am failing somewhere" Jinnah's trust in his editor was unshakable.
Following post independence Jinnah wanted to publish Dawn newspaper from Karachi in 1947. He had the idea to publish two editions of his newspaper. Both from Delhi and Karachi. He instructed Altaf Husain to proceed to Karachi in early August 1947 with some senior staffs from his Delhi office to set up Dawn newspaper in Karachi. Yusuf Haroon
Yusuf Haroon
Muhammad Yusuf Abdullah Haroon was a politician from Sindh, Pakistan.The eldest of Sir Haji Abdullah Haroon’s sons, he worked closely with Quaid-e-Azam as his ADC and was active in the Pakistan Movement...
a young and energetic member of the Central Committee of Muslim League was given the task to provide facilities to the Dawn newspaper team led by Altaf Husain to publish Dawn newspaper by 14 August 1947, the day Pakistan was born. Altaf Husain with his usual zeal successfully completed his task. First Pakistani edition of Dawn newspaper was published on 15 August 1947. In the meantime Delhi Dawn newspaper office and its presses were burnt down by the Hindu extremist on 12 August 1947. Altaf Husain's third floor flat in New Delhi located at Sujan Singh Park was also set on fire by the Sikhs destroying every thing including many collection of valuable Books. Altaf Husain landed in Karachi with his family with a handful of suitcases on 7 August 1947. His dedication and call to his duties never wavered. Dawn newspaper was a single voice of the Muslims of India. Through the power of his pen he battled against influential newspapers of Hindu India and came up triumphs! The street in Karachi where Dawn was first published is now known as Altaf Husain Road.
See also
- Pakistan movementPakistan MovementThe Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
- List of Pakistani journalists
- Dawn newspaperDawn (newspaper)Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
External links
Book links- http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838455-1,00.html