Oxford launches third edition of The Jinnah Anthology and conferment of The Jinnah Awards

The photograph shows (from l to r): Liaquat Merchant; Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press Pakistan; the recipient of the Jinnah Award for 2010, Imran Khan, Founder, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre; and Sardar Sherbaz Mazari, President, National Awami Party, who conferred the Jinnah Awards.



Seen at the event are (from l to r): Liaquat Merchant; Sardar Sherbaz Mazari, President, National Awami Party, who conferred the Jinnah Awards; the recipient of the Jinnah Award for 2010, Imran Khan, Founder, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre; Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press Pakistan; the recipient of the Jinnah Award for 2008, Dr Adeeb Rizvi, Professor and Director, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation; and the recipient of the Jinnah Award for 2009, I. A. Rehman, Director, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Karachi, 30 April: In a befitting tribute to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Oxford University Press launched the book The Jinnah Anthology:

Third Edition and The Jinnah Society presented The Jinnah Awards at a ceremony held at the Oxford University Press Head Office. 

Following the resounding success of the second edition of The Jinnah Anthology which constitutes a complete study on Jinnah from different perspectives, Oxford University Press launched the third edition of this collector’s item in which the editors of the book, Liaquat Merchant and Professor Sharif al Mujahid, have put together new and more informative material on Jinnah in addition to what already exists in the second edition.  The new edition of the book is a compilation of newly written and previously published essays, articles, excerpts, personal recollections and tributes by renowned academics, historians, and analysts worldwide, along with quotes, speeches, and statements of Jinnah, focusing on his character as a statesman and founder of Pakistan. This book intends, primarily, to be a source of inspiration for the general reader and aims to re-emphasize Jinnah’s vision, ideals, and principles relating to democracy, justice, equality, integrity, honesty, supremacy of the rule of law and rights of women and minorities. Through this volume, the editors of the book strive to document and celebrate the Quaid’s life, work, and achievements.

Liaquat Merchant is the Administrator, Quaid-e-Azam’s Estate; Managing Trustee, The Jinnah Foundation; Executive Trustee, Quaid-e-Azam Aligarh Education Trust; President, The Jinnah Society; and author of several publications on Jinnah. 

Professor Sharif al Mujahid is a renowned scholar of the Pakistan Movement and Jinnah. He is presently Distinguished National Professor, Higher Education Commission, Pakistan.

In recognition of their outstanding services rendered with the utmost integrity, dignity, and dedicated commitment to the cause of Pakistan, The Jinnah Society honoured Dr Adeeb Rizvi, Professor and Director, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation; I. A. Rehman, Director, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan; and Imran Khan, Founder, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, with the Jinnah Award for 2008, 2009, and 2010 respectively. Sardar Sherbaz Mazari, President, National Awami Party, conferred the Awards. The Jinnah Society propagates the principles, ideals, and vision of the Quaid-i-Azam and confers one award each year to a distinguished citizen of Pakistan for his/her exemplary contribution to the country in his/her respective area of service. The selection of the candidates is done by a jury comprising the members of The Jinnah Society and the recipients of the award are chosen by a secret ballot. The Jinnah Awards have earlier been conferred upon Abdul Sattar Edhi, Hakeem Mohammad Saeed, Graham Layton, Dr Ruth Pfau, Dr Ishrat Hussain, and Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, Air Marshal (Retd) M. Asghar Khan, and Ahmad Ali Khan.

The book launch and the award ceremony was well-attended by diplomats, corporate heads, academics, and the media. In her welcome address, Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press Pakistan, said that one will find this volume a great source of information about the man who, despite gargantuan odds, seized Pakistan from powerful, unwilling hands and put it on the map of the world. She further added that the book will delight academics, researchers, historians and students as much as general readers, and provide useful information and insights into the personality of our great leader. Liaquat Merchant, in his address, restated The Jinnah Society’s concept of ‘Jinnah’s Pakistan’ which called for reverting to Jinnah’s ideals, principles, and vision as a nation-building exercise. He pointed out the need to translate Jinnah’s vision into a progressive and tolerant country and to encourage development of leadership in the role model of Jinnah. The evening was brought to a close with Imran Khan’s concluding address.