Javed Jabbar

Javed Jabbar (Urdu: جاوید جبار ) is a Pakistani writer and politician.

Early life and Education

Jabbar's father Ahmed Abdul Jabbar was under the employment of Hyderabad State; they migrated to Pakistan after India annexed the state. His mother Zain Mahal Khursheed was a trained Sitar player. Jabbar credits both of them for inculcating his interest in art and literature.

In 1961, Jabbar enrolled in the Humanities section of St Patrick's High School, Karachi; he credited Principal D'Arcy D'Souza with convincing his father into shifting him from the Commerce section, where he was first enrolled. In 1963, Jabbar enrolled at the University of Karachi for his undergraduate degree in International Relations. During his university-days, he was a reputed face in theatrical circuits.

Career

Advertisement, Documentaries and Films

Jabbar chose to be employed in the advertisement sector instead of journalism, guided by better prospects of earning. He went on to direct over 300 commercials. In 1972, Jabbar produced Moenjodaro: The City That Must Not Die, a documentary for Pakistan television (PTV). A chronicle of Indus Valley Civilisation, it won the Silver Prize at the Asian Film Festival in Shiraz, Iran and a national award. He had also directed 10 other documentaries.

In 1976, he wrote and directed Beyond the Last Mountain, the first feature film in English out of Pakistan. In 2008, he directed Ramchand Pakistani, an Urdu drama film that centered on the ordeals of a Pakistani Dalit Hindu, who had crossed the border to India.

Politics

in 1985—spurred by his wife and friends—Jabbar ran for the four seats reserved for technocrats in Pakistan Senate. He won the elections and became a Minister of State of Information.

Views

Islam in Pakistan

Jabbar believes that the prominent strand of Islam followed in Pakistan is Sufism — "pluralistic, inclusive, tolerant, [and] respectful." Rejecting that Pakistani society has any major issue of radicalization, he warns against conflating the "overwhelming majority" of peaceful and resilient Pakistanis with "a small number of brainwashed barbarians." Jabbar remains hopeful that Pakistan will successfully see through the unique challenges of being founded on the basis of religion but not giving in to religious extremism. He asks his fellow citizens to engage in ijtihad and follow a "50 points formula" in their quest for rediscovering and redefining Pakistaniat.

India

Jabbar argues that India needs to engage with Pakistan more meaningfully and without holding discussions hostage to "[Pakistan's] cessation of support for terrorism."

Personal life

Javed Jabbar has a son named Kamal and a daughter Mehreen Jabbar who is a film producer and director.

Bibliography

• Karen Isaksen Leonard (2007), Locating Home: India's Hyderabadis Abroad, Stanford University Press, p. 308, ISBN 978-0-80-475442-2{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Parliament House (1991), Directory of Members, The University of Michigan, p. 82{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Zareen Muzaffar, Javed Jabbar, Renaissance man, The Friday Times newspaper, 26 June 2015, Retrieved 15 March 2017
• State of affairs: For Javed Jabbar, Pakistan is not failing, it is ailing, The Express Tribune newspaper, 29 January 2014, Retrieved 15 March 2017

External links

Javed Jabbar at IMDb