(Professor Nauman, a leading Marxist, a well know activists who had touched lives of many of us in Karachi passed away last week. Below is a work in progress : a fellow activist recalls how Professor Mohammad Nauman, associate professor with the NED University made an impression his life.)

A convention of National Students Federation (NSF) Karachi was scheduled to be held on January 7, 1973 but members were sharply divided over issues ranging from an earlier stance of Bangladesh-Namanzoor to loyalty towards Meraj Mohammad Khan.

I was new to the organization and believed that the two groups formed thus far could pitch their candidates and let the general members decide through votes. But senior members of the two groups felt that election on convention floor would split the organization.

Therefore conciliation efforts started. Dow Medical College was the venue of hectic politicking. Nauman, who was pitched for President by one group represented one side in these talks while the other side was represented by Zahid Hussain. After days and nights of negotiations the two sides reached a settlement. A cabinet of NSF,

Karachi, consisting of the two groups was agreed upon. Ghafoor Kasi became President and Sohail Ahmed was declared General Secretary. Nauman made the central working committe.

However, this patch-up did not last long and the members finally split a few months later. During those few days, I was approached by both sides and opinions on every political issue under the sun was expressed. Nauman was quite articulate in expressing his views and criticized the other side without raising his voice. Though I decided to align myself with Rasheed Hassan Khan's group and they retracted from their stance of Bangladesh-Namanzoor, but Nauman left a deep impression on my mind because of his rational arguments and gentle demeanor.