Reference for Dr Ayub Mirza, Sept 26, Bradford

South Asian Peoples Forum is holding a Condolence Reference to pay homage to the late Dr. Ayub Mirza, former President Pak-China Friendship Association, former President PMA (Pakistan Medical Association), prominent Progressive Writer, biographer and Revolutionary Politician

Dr Ayub Mirza passes on

Sad to hear that Dr Ayub Mirza passed away this morning. His daughter Alina Mirza, writes from Glasgow: “He had another heart attack and collapsed. The doctors tried to resuscitate him but he had gone. He went peacefully and did not suffer. The last few days with him were a bonus for all of us.”

Dr Ayub Mirza update

Dr Ayub Mirza, a leading figure of the 1950s’ student movement and DSF, a life long friend of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and author of Faiz’s biography ‘Hum Keh Thehray Ajnabi’, has been seriously ill; good news is he’s better now.

“Students Movement leaders remembered: Revival of student activism termed must for reshaping society” – PPI report

Student speakers stated that majority of students do not raise their voices against evil practices that are being imposed on them. They held education institutions responsible for not providing the right platform to raise their voices. Lastly, they urged all students to recall such sacrifices of students in 1953 movement to acquire freedom in their campuses and education institutions.

‘Youth to celebrate student movement of 1953′

I remember we would visit his clinic in Firdous Colony in Nazimabad in late 1960s to collect funds when National Students Federation (NSF) launched a protest movement against military dictator Gen. Ayub Khan and he was always generous. In fact he handed over his entire day’s earnings to us and we made it a point to visit his clinic late so that we may get more fund.

‘What he started will never die’ – Dr M. Ayub Mirza

I remember very well an incident from those early times. Sarwar made a speech in the Medical Students’ Hall, the first political speech to have been made by a student in that college. This was an incredibly courageous act in those times.

‘Dr Sarwar and the 1950s student movement’ – 2004 posting

A good background by Shahid Husain to the fledgling 1950s student movement in Pakistan and how it was crushed, published in Daily Times on Jan 8, 2004 – posted to the beena-issues yahoogroup in Feb 2004