Book Talk on "From the Beginning to Lahore’s Happenings"

Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 5:00 PM | Faculty Lounge, VC Office, LUMS

The Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature hosted a book talk on From the Beginnings to Lahore’s Happening, bringing together two of Lahore’s most distinguished voices on history and culture: F. S. Aijazuddin and the author Sheikh Abdul Majid. The event celebrated Lahore not merely as a geographical entity, but as a living city with layered histories, shifting social dynamics, and enduring cultural vitality.

The session opened with Dr. Ali Usman Qasmi, Director Gurmani Centre, who welcomed the guests and conveyed a note of thanks from Syed Babar Ali to Sheikh Abdul Majid.

F. S. Aijazuddin, reflecting on his approach to writing, remarked that he and Sheikh Majid write not simply for the sake of producing books, but because they have something meaningful to say. At the heart of this impulse lies their love for Lahore. He emphasized that there can never be “enough” books on the city because Lahore is a living, breathing place, constantly evolving and renewing itself. Aijazuddin spoke about his own style of narration, noting that his aim is not to manufacture an idealized image of the city, but to describe it as it exists, in all its complexity, its social, political, and religious enclaves. Just as cities across the world change, Lahore too has undergone transformations in its neighborhoods and communities.

Sheikh Abdul Majid’s remarks expanded this reflection into a deeply personal and historical account. He spoke about Lahore’s geographical origins, its long-standing Buddhist past, and the tragic deaths of 1,004 Lahoris during the uprising of 1857. Drawing on his family’s ties to the city and his decades-long career in journalism and writing, Sheikh traced Lahore’s history not only through archives but also through lived memory. He recalled his father, the renowned journalist Hameed Sheikh, whose career spanned All India Radio, The Civil and Military Gazette, and The Pakistan Times. He recounted memories of growing up in the Walled City, surrounded by Lahore’s intellectuals and cultural icons, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ustad Daman, Roshan Ara Begum, among others.

Sheikh Abdul Majid also reflected on his own journalistic journey and shared anecdotes from a lifetime of reporting, including covering the Zia regime. His narratives underscored the intimate connection between Lahore’s political history and the personal trajectories of those who have sought to record it.

The session concluded with a lively exchange of reflections on why Lahore continues to inspire writers, historians, and journalists. Both speakers agreed that the city’s vitality lies in its ability to transform while retaining its cultural soul. The talk offered not just an exploration of Lahore’s past but also an invitation to rethink how cities live, breathe, and narrate themselves through the people who love them.