ISLAMABAD - History under the barrel of gun takes false path and the consecutive dictatorships in the country has played havoc with the true history, so youth is advised to have the knowledge of history as it is not past but the true knowledge of this subject enables a man to make his future bright and dynamic.
These remarks were expressed by renowned historian and scholar Dr. Mubarak Ali at the Academy of Letters Islamabad while addressing his book launching ceremony here on Friday.
He said that the history written in the period of founder dictator Ayub Khan was tarnished and mixed with false incidents and phoney events that never took place anywhere in the history of Pakistan.
Dr Mubarak Ali, who is currently living in Lahore, while speaking on the occasion, said, "I now tell my students not to follow their elders' thinking but develop their own viewpoints. Your views should change with the changes in society. You can't solve today's problems by handling them the same way someone did in the past because the situation, too, won't be the same due to changes brought on by circumstances with the passage of time," the historian pointed out.
The brave and independent historian disclosed many facts about the official historian of the Ayoubi martial law period who actually blended official history with bogus facts and de-tracked the generations for their vested interests he added. He further said most of the historians except a few were the slaves of state and state never speaks truth with its masses, which is pathetic and shameful. The true man said, "I appreciate the praise I get from the common man. That's my greatest prize because I write for the common man". On the occasion, Dr. Ishafq Saleem Mirza who was the guest of honour for the book launch ceremony said Dr.Muabarak Ali is the man who fought for the truth and nothing but. He further said Mubarak's work was banned during the Gen Zia regime but this man has a big hand in opening minds and broadening thinking of the generations. Malik Ayoub a student of the historian appreciated that the historian had spent his entire life in the country amid all kinds of difficulties and hardships. There was a time when you couldn't even discuss him in classes and having the writing of the great historian was a sin and crime, he added.
"And this is because he raised awareness against hero worship. Arshad Mehmood a speaker said "His historiography is amazing and mind-blowing. Showing the true picture is what Dr Mubarak does by giving the people's history, starting from the bottom he added. Dr Nazir Mehmood a friend of historian said one has to pay the cost of truth and Dr. Mubarak faced all difficulties for the true history.