Apropos, the write-up "Abdul Hussain Gokul's grave in Nejaf without a tombstone" (Business Recorder: January 24, 2004), of my late father's friend, namely, Aziz Dossa (Alex London).
The article has pointed out the most unfortunate, brutal hanging of Abdul Hussain Bhai Jethabhai Gokul in Basra on the morning of Monday, January 27, 1969.
The good man, Abdul Hussain, was my father, Mohamed Ali Dawood Nasser's contemporary, with close connection, friend, relation in that order.
My father spent many a harrowing, sleepless nights in Karachi between November 1968 and January 1969, during the period of his friend's terrible ordeal, and brutal, gruesome circumstances of incarceration and public execution. Abdul Hussain's legend was then born.
Thirty-five years have elapsed but reading the contents revived memories when capital punishment was inflicted on the innocent soul, Abdul Hussain Bhai.
News of his demise was censored from Iraq.
Likewise, in Pakistan, Altaf Gauhar's infamous Press and Publications Ordinance was very much on the cards.
Uncensored information of Pakistan was available through the British media. Reports of Abdul Hussain were in suspense for 24 hours, following his hanging on January 27.
The news of the passing away of Abdul Hussain, reached Karachi, on Tuesday, January 28, 1969, via the supplement of London Economist that was telegraphed to the subscribers.
My father paid for his copy of the Economist from foreign exchange of our Bombay bureau. In turn, the economist was delivered in his Office in Central Hotel Building, Karachi. My father read about the event when he reached the premises in the morning on his Telex machine on January 28.
Forthwith the telephoned the author's father, his elder Hajibhai Esmail Dossa at the latter's Hotel Columbus and community's philanthropist, Hamid Dawood Habib, in Habib Bank.
Haji Saheb, Hamid Habib and father's painful unpleasant duty, nursing bleakest, darkest thoughts, to drive from Clifton in Haji Saheb's Rover, to reach the residence of Razak Gokul and Mustafa Gokul on Britto Road to convey and inform the son and nephew of the death of their father and uncle in distant Basra, in nerve-wrecking situation.
But the climax was to transpire later that night of January 28, when the pretty Newscaster, Rahat Saeed, broke down in tears before the TV audience, at the culmination of the 9 pm Urdu service.
Rahat had graduated from St. Lawrence's Girls College, Pedro D'souza Road, with Abdul Hussain's daughter Soraya, and her cousin Samira.
Earlier Rahat Syed had seen TV clips of the tortured, bludgeoned face of Abdul Hussain Gokul.
And out of the unexpected, she was advised to report his sudden demise. Taken unaware, even the disciplined newscaster who was trained never to betray emotions could not restrain herself.
TV audiences all over Pakistan wept with the slip of the girl, as she wiped her tears, while relaying the news of the death of the good soul, Abdul Hussain. During the three years at the St Lawrence's College, she had got to know Abdul Hussain through her friends Soraya and Samira. She used to fondly address him Chaca and at times uncle.
Abdul Hussain had invited her to visit him and his wife Shireen and stay as their guest at his house overlooking the estuary of Euphrates and Tigris in Basra.
Rahat told my father at the Soyem in Mehfil-e-Khurasan that she regrets she fails to accept the invitation.
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