VIVEK SHUKLA, SR. JOURNALIST / Renowned COLUMNIST
That was in 2017 when I wrote a small post in FB as to how people from Jalandhar shaped the destiny of Pakistan. After it got published, veteran Pakistani journalist, author and a facebook friend Khaled Ahmed called me through FB. And for next over 20 minutes, we were discussing Zia ul Haq, Imran Khan, Majid Khan, Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan, Hafiz Jalandhari and many more luminaries from Jalandhar.
Himself born in Basti Danish Manda in Jalandhar, he knew old Jalandhar like back of his left hand. That was surprising for me given the fact that when left for Pakistan with his family in 1947, he was barely three years old. Jalandhar lived in his heart and soul.
We promised to meet one day in Jalandhar, the city where his forefathers have lived for many centuries. And today I leant that Khaled sahib is no more. What a loss. He passed away in Lahore on Sunday after losing his battle with cancer. He was 81.
Khaled sahib was renowned for his insightful analyses, immense knowledge of local and foreign cultures, sharp wit, and unwavering dedication to intellectual discourse.
Around two years ago, I visited Amritsar with my family immediately after Diwali. When Shatabdi reached Jalandhar Railway station, I suddenly realized that I am in the city of Khaled Sahib. For a couple of moments, I was only thinking of him. Had he left Jalandhar for a Train to Pakistan from this Railway station? As the train moved away from the station and the city, I could see the illumination all around as after Diwali, Babab Nanak’s birth day was also coming.
Last year, Punjabi Prachar Sabha of Lahore invited me to attend the International Punjabi conference held in Lahore. Alas, I did not get a visa to cross the Radcliffe line. So my chance to meet Khaled sahib remained a dream. Now I will never meet him. I will dearly miss you, Khaled sahib.
PS- Apart from Khaled sahib, another friend and author from Lahore, Amjed Saleem Alvi is also so fond of Jalandhar. His parents were from Noorpur. It is close to Jalandhar.
Khaled Ahmed Sahib
