Altaf Hussain Qurashi is playing a very distinctive role in the field of journalism for more than five decades. His writings cast a spell on the readers and open new dimensions. His interviews in the early 60s made him popular for his innovative style. He interviewed more than 200 personalities of international fame and unearthed many facts related to our history, politics and culture. These personalities belonged to different walks of life and were the gem of their respective fields.
Recently Jamhoori Publication published a voluminous book in which it selected 23 interviews of world famous personalities. These include Justice SA Rehman, Syed Abul Ala Maududi, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, General Ziaul Haq, Khadimul Haramain Shah Faisal, Turkish PM/President Süleyman Demirel, Khan of Kalat Ahmad Yar Baloch, Chief Justice AR Cornelius, Dr Syed Abdullah, AK Brohi, Ghulam Rasool Mehr, Dr Miss Khadija Firoz Uddin, Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan, Prof Hameed Ahmed Khan, Dr Abdur Rahman Barkar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Hakim Muhammad Saeed Dehlvi, Justice Hamoodur Rahman, SM Zafar, Maulana Zafar Ahmed Ansari, Qudrat Ullah Shahab and Air Marshal Asghar Khan.
Many of these personalities are no more with us. In these thorough interviews, Altaf Hussain deviated from the stereo-type questions and explored the hidden aspects of their personalities. The interviews don’t start with formal introductions rather there is a story and background which makes the start of very interview very interesting and grips the attention of the reader in the start. The interviews grow like short story and ends by imparting certain lessons for the reader. All these talks are thoughtful, illuminating, simple, straight, unbiased, educative, trend-setter and a treat to read.
Altaf Hussain convened these interviews from 1961 to 1977. In order to make the young reader understand the contextual value of the questions and the answers given, he has given extra details in borders, enumerating the events and circumstances and of that time.
In this way these interviews connect the past with the present and pave way towards the future. It can also be calculated as a history book which sheds light on the state of affairs of that certain era and also discusses the major issues of that time. The frank style of questioning in the interviews makes the readers feel as he in direct talk with the person being interviewed. The book is full of historical informational and satiates the reader of its desire to know further about that personality. The book imparts maximum information to the readers in these short profile interviews.
By bringing these interviews in the form of a book, Jamhoori Publication did an admirable job. ‘Mulaqaten Kia Kia’ is a book which can catch the interest of the people who want to know about the history and about these personalities.