November 27, 2025
ISLAMABAD – On a recent excursion to the antique market in the vicinity of Zainab Market in downtown Karachi, I came across what looked like an old postcard. Without much inspection, I bought it to be looked at later. After bringing it home, I was overjoyed on finding out what I had just acquired. On the front, it reads (in Urdu):
In Memory of the Late Z.A. Bukhari
On behalf of Idara Yadgar-i-Ghalib, a memorial gathering will be held on Saturday evening, July 19, 1975, at Ghalib Library, in memory of the distinguished poet and great broadcaster of the Subcontinent, where prominent thinkers and intellectuals of every school of thought will address the gathering.
It is expected that among the speakers will be Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who will hopefully return to his homeland after his travels abroad, and will express his heartfelt love on this occasion.
Patrons and admirers of Bukhari are earnestly requested that they attend this gathering with their family and friends.
Yours sincerely,
Mirza Zafarul Hasan
The back of the postcard has English, Bengali and Urdu printed on it. In the section to the left, it reads: “‘Ghalib’ Quarterly Periodical. Chief Editor Faiz Ahmed Faiz; Editor — Mirza Zafarul Hasan.” It is followed by the current address of the Ghalib Library in the Nazimabad area of the city. On the right side are the details of the recipient.
Many among the current generation may not know who Z.A. Bukhari was and why this postcard matters five decades after it was sent.
A RENAISSANCE MAN
Zulfikar Ali Bukhari, popularly known as Z.A. Bukhari, was a famed broadcaster, cultural figure and the younger brother of humorist and writer Patras Bokhari. Bukhari will always be remembered for his work and immense contributions to the world of broadcasting, first at All India Radio and, after Partition in 1947, at Radio Pakistan.
In 1935, Lionel Fielden, a maverick war veteran, arrived on loan from the British Broadcasting Corporation, with the brief to modernise Indian radio and train local broadcasters. Bukhari was one of them and was soon promoted to the post of director of All India Radio.
It helped that Bukhari also had mastery in several languages, including Persian and Arabic, which he had studied at Lahore’s Oriental College as part of his Munshi Fazil — the highest degree at that time in oriental branches of knowledge. He also had a keen interest in theatre and Urdu poetry, while also being considered an authority on Indo-Muslim culture.
After Partition, Bukhari was an ideal choice for the post of director general of Radio Pakistan. With his rich understanding of music, Radio Pakistan became a hub for musicians, especially classical and semi-classical vocalists. His influence even extended to redefining how Urdu ghazals were rendered, establishing trends that remain central to the innovation and evolution of ghazal gayeki [renditions].
Later, he also served as the general manager of Pakistan Television, although he would eventually be forced into early retirement due to his opposition to the regime of Gen Ayub Khan.
A HUB OF IMMIGRANT ARTISTS
While Bukhari was creating waves in the broadcasting world, the township of Nazimabad was emerging as a hub of intellectuals and a melting pot of cultural activities.
A large number of migrants who came and settled in Karachi had their roots in culturally rich centres of the Subcontinent, such as Delhi, Amroha, Lucknow and Hyderabad. These people initially settled on the outskirts of 1950s Karachi, which included Jehangir Quarters, Martin Road and PIB Colony.
In those times, Karachi’s population surged from 400,000 at Partition to more than a million in a matter of a few years. To accommodate these arrivals, residential areas were created, causing the city to expand to a new scale. An arid piece of land a few kilometres from Karachi’s centre before the Partition, Nazimabad was amongst the areas marked for residential land. Named after the second governor general of Pakistan, Khwaja Nazimuddin, plots in Nazimabad were sold on a subsidised rate to people characterised as ‘Muhajirs’ in the census of 1951.
Amidst the chaos of the events of 1947, most people had migrated with just their most important belongings. Many had carried with them the idea that this was a temporary displacement and they would soon return back to their homes. Only when Nazimabad was taking shape in 1952 and the country’s borders became permanent did people realise that the divide would be permanent.
The idea and memory of homes that these migrants left behind is reflected in the architecture that this new part of town shared with that of homes in North India. By 1960, Nazimabad was home to several important poets and artists, such as Ibne Insha, Eqbal Mehdi and Sadequain. Celebrated painter Dr Ajaz Anwar recalls having met Josh Malihabadi and Sadequain over tea in Nazimabad.
Given its heady and intellectual environment, it became the perfect place to lay the foundations of a library as a tribute to one of the greatest Urdu poets, Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan, commonly known as Mirza Ghalib. While the country was in a politically volatile state, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mirza Zafarul Hasan laid the foundations of Ghalib Library on December 8, 1969. This was done to commemorate Ghalib’s centennial celebrations.
The signboard was painted by Sadequiain and the library was inaugurated with an exhibition of paintings and a mushairah [poetic symposium]. It was attended by some of the biggest literary names in the country, including Ismat Chughtai, Ibne Insha, Ghulam Rasool Mahar and Mukhtar Zaman, to name a few. The organisers also set up the Idara Yadgar-i-Ghalib (IYG) for the management of the library and other literary endeavours regarding Ghalib’s work.
Although no written sources confirm his presence, Z.A. Bukhari too must have been involved with the library in some capacity. Given his active presence in the cultural milieu of the time, his close association with Faiz and other poets and intellectuals seems only fitting. Bukhari’s connection to Nazimabad can also be credited to his active presence alongside Allama Rasheed Turabi in the marsia [elegy] recitals and majalis during Muharram.
This postcard must have been issued very soon after the passing of Z.A. Bukhari, considering he passed away on July 12, 1975, and the memorial was held on the 19th of the same month.
FIVE DECADES ON…
Very often when I come across old postcards, they carry images of mountains and valleys, cityscapes of London and Paris, or paintings by the old masters. This postcard, though lacking a beautiful photograph, offers instead a clear glimpse into a rich past. It stands at the intersection of Z.A. Bukhari’s legacy, a literary culture that was fostered through a sense of community and the vibrant cultural life of Nazimabad, which has not been seen since.
The Ghalib Library still holds its ground, though with an air of loneliness. Nazimabad has drifted far from what it once was, and the world of media and broadcasting has transformed beyond recognition. Yet, one can only hope that, amid these constant shifts, Z.A. Bukhari’s legacy is not forgotten.