When The Dawn published from Darya Ganj, Delhi : As Pakistan was celebrating the birth anniversary of their founder, M.A. Jinnah, on Christmas day, it is worth discussing Altaf Hussain, the first editor of The Dawn, the mouth piece of Muslim League. He was a right hand man of Jinnah. But the major reason for discussing and remembering Altaf Hussain and The Dawn as during those days it used to publish from Darya Ganj in Delhi. Yours truly was searching for the exact place from it published since many-many years. Actually Jinnah wanted to start the paper of Muslim League to propagate the views of Muslim League and as to why separate Muslim nation is important for Muslims of India. And when one talks about The Dawn of those heady days and years, you just can not ignore Altaf Hussain.
His major claim to fame was that he used to spread the virus of hatred through his pen. He was rabble-rouser to the hilt. He did not miss even half chance to attack venerable Congress leaders of those days. On my recent visit to Darya Ganj with my old friend, Mr Feroz Bakhat Ahmed, we found the exact place from The Dawn was published. Now it publishes from Karachi, Lahore and some other cities.
On the instructions of Jinnah, The Dawn was started from Delhi in early 41 and he himself appointed Altaf Hussain as the editor after P.Joseph quit. The Dawn became the mouth piece of Muslim League. Before we talk further, we must tell you that Altaf Hussain used to live at Sujan Singh Park, where our very own Khushwant Singh has been living since long. Perhaps not many people in Delhi know that Sujan Singh Park was the first residential apartment of the capital. It was built in perhaps 1944 by Sardar Sobha Singh in the memory of his father.
It is said that Hussain was an eminent journalist to start with before he became very close to Jinnah as well as rabid communal person. Born in Khulna district of present day Bangladesh, he received his early education in Calcutta and then attended Dhaka University where he graduated with an M.A. (English).
Jinnah appointed Altaf Hussain as the editor of Dawn as he was really impressed with his command over English. After shifting to Delhi from Calcutta, he used to live at Jinnah’s mansion at 10 Aurangjeb Road to start with. Later he shifted to a flat in Sujan Sing Park. Coming back to Altaf Hussain, he also worked as a speech writer of Jinnah when he used to visit Delhi.
Historian SA Abdullah, father of eminent model and actor Naseer Abdullah and uncle of Sadia Dehalvi, once told yours truly, that Jinnah gave Hussain total freedom to run the paper and its editorial policy. He even told him, ” I do not want you to spare any one who stands on our way to achieve Pakistan. Jinnah’s trust in his editor was unshakable.
After independence Jinnah wanted to publish The Dawn from Karachi. He asked him to proceed to Karachi in early August 1947 with some senior staffers from his Delhi office to set up The Dawn in Karachi. Altaf Hussain did not disappoint his leader this time also. The Dawn published in Delhi till August 11, 1947. It started publishing from Karachi from 14 August,1947,the day Pakistan became a realty. In the meantime The Dawn office in Delhi was burnt down on 12 August 1947. Altaf Hussain ‘s flat in Sujan Singh Park was also set on fire by people. And once Pakistan became realty, Altaf Hussain also served as Union minister in Pakistan. In a way, it is good that he passed away in 1968 just couple of years before Pakistan was divided. It goes without saying that he would be really sad man to see the nation carved for Muslims of India disintegrated less than three decades after its formation.
Vivek Shukla is a Sr. Journalist. He can be contacted at 09818155246
