| |
| Dr. Ayub Mirza passes away; funeral on Aug 17 |
GLASGOW: Veteran physician, progressive writer and renowned revolutionary political activist Dr Ayub Mirza passed away in Glasgow, Scotland, on Aug 15, 2010.
He was a key figure of the Democratic Students Federation (DSF), which led the student movement coordinated by the Inter-Collegiate Body (ICB) that shook the entire country and resulted in significant concessions for students’ rights until the clampdown on all progressive forces in Pakistan in 1953.
Dr Mirza was born to a working class family in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir on May 21, 1929. His parents, Fazal Elahi and Fatima Mirza were respected figures who believed in getting their children educated. Dr Mirza had his first taste of politics as a student in Rawalpindi.
He worked closely with prominent Marxist activists like Abid Minto, Dr Haroon Rashid and Dr M Sarwar in establishing the first Democratic Students Federation (DSF) in Rawalpindi, of which he was elected General Secretary. The DSF was later re-born in Karachi, and Dr Mirza actively participated in its work, which included the countrywide student protests of Jan 7 & 8, 1953. Later, Dr Mirza was among the hundreds of progressives who were jailed; he remained confined for no less than a year. While still a student, he joined the Communist Party of Pakistan.
He graduated in Medicine and then came to the UK where he qualified as Paediatrician. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the eminent progressive poet, en route to Moscow to receive the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962, visited Dr Ayub Mirza in London and requested him to return home and actively participate in the politics of Pakistan.
Dr Ayub Mirza returned to Pakistan in 1964 and formed the Pak-China Friendship Association. He was elected its first president and served in this position until 1980. He joined the National Awami Party and worked closely with the peasant wing particularly with Major Ishaq Mohammad, Chaudhry Fateh Mohammad, Ghulam Nabi Kaloo, Afzal Bangash and others.
He pioneered the foundation of the Pakistan Medical Association and was elected its first president in 1968. Dr Ayub Mirza was also a member of the Pakistan Film Censor Board during 1989-1992.
His writings include Faiz's biography “Hum Key Theray Ajnabi”, Dada Amir Hyder’s biography (in Urdu) "Dada", a collection of Urdu verse, “Lahoo Main Dhanak”, “Faiz Nama” , a 600-page book which was also published in India, and his autobiography, “Bergay Jahan Deeda”.
He lived a long and happy married life, and besides his wife, he leaves behind two sons Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza and Sarmed Mirza, a daughter Dr Alina Mirza who runs a cross art-form company (Heer Productions), and six grand children. In addition, there are many friends, comrades, patients and well-wishers to mourn his death.
His namaz-e-janaza will be held after zohar on Tuesday, Aug 17 in Glasgow. |
|
