In a tribute to the people of Pakistan and the devastation endured during the Partition of 1947, @sangemeel publishes “Walking the Divide”.
Sang-e-Meel Publications launches a new book called “Walking the Divide”, curated by Halima Khan. It narrates the events that led to the Partition of 1947 with a range of emotions. In an increasingly divided world, the idea is to build empathy for the struggle and sacrifice of a generation for a cause bigger than themselves and an ideology they truly believed in.
Illustrating the real-life story of Syed Sardar Ahmad Khan, this biographical title is both absorbing and inspiring. Full details about the book can be found by reaching @historicalfictionbook on Instagram and Facebook.
Reading this book is a humbling experience as it unravels a realization of how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. This is a book about pain and loss. But it’s also a book about finding a home at last!
As part of the partition literature, this book encompasses fiction and nonfiction published with the heart and soul of those who bled to form this country. Several decades passed before a widespread effort was made to document survivors’ testimonies about their experiences. And this book is an addition to that effort, a remarkable addition, I must say!
The focal point of this book, curated by Halima Khan, is about how one survivor’s story is either passed down or forgotten and the importance of preserving it.
“How do we know this event except through the ways in which it has been handed down to us: through fiction, memoirs, testimonies, through memories; individual and collective?”
Here’s a clip that ran on Nasim Zehra’s show. The voiceover tells the crux of the story that is the climax of this book and every other book on the Partition on either side of the border.
“Walking the Divide” pushes us out of our comfort zone. While change is difficult for everyone, it can be revolutionary for national identity, especially when guided by the spirit of freedom. To study a historical event, we require microscopic vision. The angle we zoom into sometimes clarifies why the choice needs to be bold.
Perhaps in a flick of Sardar’s memory, we will discover a message not restrained to any one era or community.
The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Sang-e-Meel online book store and all major bookstores across Pakistan.
About Halima Khan – the curator of the book
Halima Khan does her best writing while sitting on the uncomfortable dining table chair. She thrives in her world of endearing flaws, blue skies, lush grass, where the women are stronger than they look, and the land untamed.
She has contributed to many leading publications (Global Voices, Dawn, The News, Women’s Own, Libas and more). In her free time, she is working on translating an anthology of an early 19th-century manuscript about altruism and Sufism. She is interested in deep diving into children’s publishing as well. Something is already brewing.
Masters in Communication Studies and English Literature, Halima has always been naturally drawn to the intrigue that the subject of history offers.
Recognized for advocating digital disruption, she contributes to a paradigm shift in communication strategy in diverse global markets with increased levels of engagement, connectivity, activism and, above all, a higher valuation on transparency.
Halima was nominated for the Global Young Leaders Conference for contributing to the acceleration of social impact.
She champions the cause of Pink Ribbon, working closely with the Pakistan chapter, where the incidence rate is the highest amongst all of Asia. You can extend your support as well: @pinkribbonpk.
As you start to read this book, she will be planning her travels to the glacial junction of the high peak mountains. And if she makes it to the Savage Mountain, you can read about it next on https://halimakhan.wordpress.com/.
