KARACHI, March 26: Speakers at a seminar on ‘Rashdi Brothers’ here on Saturday said that although Pir Ali Mohammad Rashdi and Pir Hussamuddin Rashdi never attend school, they achieved top position in politics and research respectively. The seminar, titled Rashdi Brothers’ Contribution to History and Literature was organized jointly by the Rashdi Brothers Memorial Academy and Sindh Culture Department.

The speakers said that both the brothers were initially tutored for the basic education at home, but through their self-education, extensive reading and research later, they excelled in their respective fields.

The elder brother, Pir Ali Mohammad Rashdi, entered politics and held distinctive government positions while the younger one, Pir Hussamuddin Rashdi, became an intellectual, scholar and top historian, now regarded as an authority on culture, history, archaeology, sociology, etc.

One of the speakers said that in this subcontinent’s society, one’s services were recognized usually after the person was dead. “However, the Rashdi Brothers were living legends,” he said. Their skills and expertise in their respective fields are widely acknowledged as politicians and researchers would always seek their guidance.

Born in 1905, Ali Mohammad was a writer, journalist, politician and parliamentarian. He held federal and provincial ministries and also remained Pakistan’s ambassador to Philippines (1957–1961) and China (1961–1962).

He wrote extensively in Urdu, Sindhi and English languages and wrote a regular column in an Urdu newspaper for over 26 years, besides writing a few books. Though some people might not agree with his views, he was considered to be a shrewd politician even by his opponents, the speakers said.

They said that Hussamuddin (1911–1982) was a historian and a scholar par excellence and he had written, edited, compiled over 43 books in Persian, Sindhi and Urdu on subjects relating to history of Sindh, Iran and Central Asia, besides writing over 300 research papers, etc. They said that most of his books were in Persian as he was a leading promoter of the language in the country.

They said that he had remained associated with almost all leading institutions of learning and letters in the country, some of them being the Institute of Sindhology, Sindhi Adabi Board, Urdu Development Board, Urdu Dictionary Board, Iqbal Academy, National Museum of Pakistan, etc.

He was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz for his literary achievements and an honorary doctorate (posthumous) by Sindh University, and Nishan-i-Sipas (Grade I) by the Government of Iran, as well as a doctorate by the Tehran University for his services in the field of Persian language and literature.

The speakers said that literary sittings used to be held at his residence in the evening every day with towering literary figures from all linguistic backgrounds getting together and holding thought-provoking literary discussions.

They said that Hussamuddin used to say that “history is plain history based on facts and it should be reported without any religious, sectarian, cultural, regional or other biases” and this reflected in his writings as well.

Responding to a comment from the audience that all the speakers were from one linguistic background so the organizers had, probably unintentionally, tried to limit the literary services of Rashdi Brothers to Sindhi language, the organizers said that they had invited Dr Sharif-ul-Mujahid to talk on politics of Ali Mohammad Rashdi, and Dr Pirzada Qasim, Dr Farman Fatehpuri to speak on Hussamuddin’s literary services to Urdu. They had accepted the invitation but could not make it for health reasons. However, more efforts would be made to ensure participation of such figures in the upcoming seminars, they added.

They also stressed on more research in the areas that had been identified by Pir Hussamuddin Rashdi.

One of the speakers noted those who would not subscribe the views of the Rashdi Brothers had, probably, been ignored. Had they also been invited, the audience would have had even better understanding about the Rashdi Brothers, he maintained.

Vice chancellor of Sindh University Mazahar-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Dr Ghulam Ali Allana, M. H. Panhwar, an Indian Sindhi writer Motilal Jotwani (a recipient of top Indian civilian award, Padmashree), A. Hameed Akhund, Inayat Baloch, Shauket H. Shoro, Inam Shaikh, Dr G. M. Lakho, Arbab Nek Mohammad, Mehtab A. Rasdhi, Hussain Shah Rashdi, Ali Raza and several others spoke at the seminar, which was largely attended by literary figures and politicians, including the former caretaker prime minister, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.