‘Lahoo-Luhan,Vandia-Vaddya -Tukiya PUNJAB’(1947) — Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Swedish political scientist and an author of Pakistani descent vouches for starting of trade between India and Pakistan at Ludhiana .

‘Lahoo-Luhan,Vandia-Vaddya -Tukiya PUNJAB’(1947) — Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Swedish political scientist and an author of Pakistani descent vouches for immediate starting of trade between India and Pakistan at Ludhiana .

An interactive session on Indo-Pak Partition was organised by Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council, a hundred-year-old trust at Ludhiana with a Swedish political scientist and author of Pakistani descent Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed. The event was presided over by Dr. S.S. Johal, eminent economist and Former Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. Prof. Gurbhajan Gill and Dr. Surjit Patar were special guests.

The event started with the welcome address of Dr. S.P. Singh, Former Vice- Chancellor GNDU, Amritsar and President, Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council. He expressed his gratitude to the honorable guests and acquainted the audience with the deep roots of Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College and Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council that are tied to Pakistan.

Prof. Gurbhajan Gill, President, Lok Virasat Academy, introduced Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed and discussed his book “The Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed.”

While addressing the audience, Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed recounted in detail about his research related to Partition of India and Pakistan and discussed the issues related to Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing without mincing words about the dubious role of Britishers who colluded with Mohammad Ali Jinnah who vouched for partition and many in India were succumbing  to the game plan though Nehru, Gandhi and Patel were against this .

Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed said that there is an immediate need to open trade to reduce the tension in Indo-Pak relations. Only in this way can the leaders of South Asia be assured of peace. Dr Ahmed said that the blood of millions of Punjabis who were killed during the partition of the country calls us again and again to walk the path of world peace. 

Referring to his childhood incidents, he said that there are millions of stories scattered on both sides of the border, which have not been found to write. He quoted the writings of Saadat Hasan Manto, Krishna Chandra, Rama Nand Sagar, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Amrita Pritam, Ustad Chirag Din Daman, Ahmad Nadeem Kasmi and Khushwant Singh and said that their writings open our eyes.

Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed’s speech was followed by an engaging interactive session in which many a prominent people including Mr. Gurpreet Singh Toor, Mr. Brij Bhushan Goyal, Dr. Mukhtiar Singh Dhanju, Dr. Raminder Kaur, Dr. Balram, Dr. DR Bhatti, Dr. Sarjit Singh Gill PAU, Dr. Amarjit Singh Hayer participated. Dr. Ishtiaq replied to their queries and apprehensions based on his years of research on the subject.

Prof. Gurbhajan Gill’s books “Khair Panjaan Paaniya di” and “Surtal” which were published in “Shahmukhi” version were released on the occasion.

While delivering the presidential address, Dr. S.S. Johal shared his personal experiences of Partition days and said that despite the political issues that divide India and Pakistan, steps could be taken toward better economic relations through expanding trade between the two countries.

Many a literary and academic personalities like Dr. Lakhvinder Johal, Prof. Ravinder Bhathal, Dr. Guriqbal Singh, S. Gurpreet Singh Toor, S. Amarjit Singh Grewal, S. Swaranjit Singh Savi, S. Harsharan Singh Narula (Hon. Gen. Sec. Of Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council) S. Kuljeet Singh (Member, GKEC), and faculty members of the institutions running under the council attended the event.

Dr Ishtiaq who is a fan of Sahir Ludhianvi’s poetry and writings also sang melodiously Sahir’s popular song at the request of Dr Amarjit Singh Hayer. Interestingly, Dr Ishtiaq told that he named his son as SAHIR. He also said that it was only Sahir Ludhianvi who was in forefront in forcefully opposing the partition of India besides others.

On this occasion, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Book Center organized a book exhibition in which the readers showed great interest in the book ‘Lahoo-Luhan,Vandia-Vaddya -Tukiya PUNJAB ‘ of  Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed (Punjabi Translated book of “The Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed.” -originally in English) .

Many a book lovers got signed copies of the book from Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed.

The event ended with the vote of thanks by Prof. Manjit Singh Chabbra, Director GGNIMT and GGNIVS.

The programe was successfully moderated by Dr. Mandeep Kaur Randhawa, Coordinator, Centre for Punjab Studies.