Sharif Al Mujahid.

Byline: Liaquat Merchant - Karachi

PROF. Sharif Al Mujahid's achievements as a scholar were ably recorded by one of your staff members, who called him his 'teacher, friend, mentor [and] friend'. For his services, Prof Mujahid received Sitara-e-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jinnah Society.

Professor Sahib, as I always called him, was a very learned but humble man, always willing to share his historical knowledge and experience with those who asked him for help.

My association with Professor Sahib started in 1997 with the launch of the 'Jinnah' film project. Professor Sahib had come to my residence at the launch of the film but our agreement to work together was reached in 1999 after the launch of The Jinnah Anthology (first edition).

Thereafter Professor Sahib continued to work with me in bringing out its second and third editions. However, by the time we came to the fourth edition, his health was deteriorating rapidly, but he continued to be available for discussions and advice on the fourth addition which was launched on March 28 last year.

Professor Sahib attended the function in his wheel chair and declined to sit on the stage and to speak. He watched the proceeding while sitting among the audience but enjoyed the hi-tea offered to all the guests.

This country is unlikely to see another historian, academic and Jinnah scholar of the calibre of Professor Sharif Al Mujahid. His book, Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah: Studies in Interpretation was adjudged the best work on Jinnah during the period 1940-1982 and was awarded the...