Rawalpindi
\nLightstone Publishers launched The Eyewitness: Standing in the Shadow of Pakistan\u2019s History by Muhammad Saeed Mehdi, former principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former chief secretary Sindh, and senior civil servant, in Islamabad. The book presents a firsthand account of Pakistan\u2019s political history, documenting defining national moments closely witnessed by the author.
\nAmeena Saiyid, Managing Director of Lightstone Publishers, welcomed everyone with the opening remarks. \u201cThis has been one of the most successful books to be published by Lightstone due to the unique life history experiences of the author.
\nThe response and interest of the audience have been overwhelming. It is heartening to see so much interest in books these days.\u201d \u2014 Omayr Aziz Saiyid, Director Lightstone Publishers
\nSenior journalist and political analyst Asma Sherazi, speaking at the launch, described the autobiography as a vital factual record of Pakistan\u2019s political timeline.
\nShe said she read the manuscript in one sitting and referred to Mr. Syed Mehdi as a \u201cchosen witness,\u201d present at nearly every critical juncture from the fall of Dhaka to Kargil capturing an emotional journey marked by helplessness, power, and vulnerability.
\nThe event was attended by over 500 guests, including politicians, journalists, and literary figures. Notable attendees included Syeda Abida Hussain, Fakhar Imam, Raheela Durani (Education Minister, Balochistan), Sikandar Sultan Raja (ECP), Ambassador Sarwar Naqvi, Rubab Sikander, Shaheen Masood, and many others. Prominent journalists such as Aizaz Syed and Farhat Ullah Babar, as well as literary personalities, were also present. The launch featured a performance of Shama Saiyid singing Sohni Dharti.
\nAddressing the audience, Muhammad Saeed Mehdi said the book records what he called \u201cliving history,\u201d shaped by decades of service at the highest levels of government. Reflecting on the essence of his memoir, he remarked, \u201cThe gist of my book is this: the thing everyone is afraid to say you write that thing.\u201d
\n\u201cMy journey as a civil servant has often put me in the position of a bystander to great and even terrible events. I have tried my best to be as correct and precise in narrating facts as I saw them.\u201d \u2014 Muhammad Saeed Mehdi
\nMehdi noted that the memoir is descriptive rather than investigative, reflecting personal experiences, successes, and failures, while leaving interpretation to historians. His career placed him at several pivotal moments in Pakistan\u2019s history.
\nAs deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi, he witnessed the final phase of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto\u2019s trial and was the last official to meet him before his execution. As commissioner of Lahore, he received Benazir Bhutto upon her return from exile in 1986.
\nLater, as principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he witnessed the events leading to the 1999 military takeover and subsequently spent two years in imprisonment.
\nSenator Mushahid Hussain Sayed described the memoir as an important addition to Pakistan\u2019s historical record, bridging the gap between behind-the-scenes decision-making and public understanding.
\nSenior journalist and editor Malik Zahoor Ahmed termed it a rare and defining work, placing events rather than the author at the center, gripping readers while telling the truth with responsibility and care for the country.
\nJournalist and political analyst Nasim Zehra praised Mehdi\u2019s first-hand professional perspective as an eyewitness, which gives the book its authenticity and credibility.
\nSenior journalist Asma Shirazi highlighted the book\u2019s insights into Pakistan\u2019s political history, particularly the recurring tensions between civilian authority and military rule, noting that such accounts help contextualize how major decisions were made and experienced.
\nH.E. Faisal Karim Kundi, Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, praised the book as a valuable addition to Pakistan\u2019s historical record and recommended that a second edition be launched soon.
\nMuhammad Malick, Senior Journalist, remarked, \u201cHe will certainly remain the federal capital\u2019s favorite storyteller, with an eye for detail, a tremendous sense of humor, and intellectual honesty.\u201d
\nFormer Acting President Wasim Sajjad described the memoir as a \u201ccry of anguish,\u201d highlighting how the author\u2019s candid reflections reveal a history shaped by despots, dictators, and sycophants but never a true democrat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rawalpindi Lightstone Publishers launched The Eyewitness: Standing in the Shadow of Pakistan\u2019s History by Muhammad Saeed Mehdi, former principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former chief secretary Sindh, and senior civil servant, in Islamabad. The book presents a firsthand account of Pakistan\u2019s political history, documenting defining national moments closely witnessed by the author. Ameena […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":527876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-527852","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n