Bokhari received his early education in the city of his birth and then studied at Islamia College, before moving in 1916, to attend Government College in Lahore. After completing his Master of Arts degree in English, he was appointed as a lecturer at the same institution. In 1922, he took his MA in English after just one year's study and stood first, after which he was appointed lecturer. This was his creative period. His bilingual excellence is owed to his intensive translation of great books and plays from English into Urdu. He was tall and blue-eyed, had a razor-sharp mind, an equally sharp tongue, and a keenness to go forward in life. Patras' brother Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari was a noted broadcaster in Pakistan.[6]
Bokhari left his position at Government College, Lahore, before moving to England from India in 1925 to complete a Tripos in English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Many years later, the Bokhari English Prize was established there in his honor.[7][8] In 1927, he returned to Government College, Lahore, and as a professor remained there until 1939.
He was a member of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan's delegation during his visit to the United States in 1950. He drafted the prime minister's speeches and public pronouncements. These have been published in a volume entitled Heart of Asia. It was his close association with Liaquat Ali Khan, which culminated in his posting as Pakistan's permanent representative at the United Nations (1951-1954). From 1954 to 1958 he served as the Undersecretary of the UN, Head of Information.[3]
In New York, Bokhari lived in a small house on a small street along the East River. He used four languages at home: the local dialect, Persian, Urdu and Pashto.[10]
Background to Pen Name Patras
Ahmed Shah Bokhari first started using a pen name Peter, in respect of his teacher Peter Watkins, when he wrote in English. In his Urdu writings he used the pen name Patras.
According to Khaled Ahmed, The House of Patras which appeared in The Friday Times, Lahore, on May 13, 1999, Patras is a Persian adaptation of an Arabic rendering of 'Peter'.
An extract from Z.A. Bokhari's autobiography about the orientation of ASB's pen name is:
"My brother's full name was Pir Syed Ahmed Shah Bokhari. Our headmaster (in Peshawar) Mr. Watkins addressed him by his first name ‘Pir’ but pronounced it as ‘Pierre’ as if it was a French word. Pierre in French stands for Peter, which is Patras in Greek.... As a result of this similarity, my brother took up ‘Patras’ as his pen name".[11][3]
Contributions
His collection of essays, Patras Kay Mazameen (پطرس کے مضامین)[12] published in 1927 is said to be an asset in Urdu humor writings. It is undoubtedly one of the finest works in Urdu humor and despite the fact that it was written in first half of twentieth century, it seems to be truly applicable even today. He lived in times of personalities like Allama Iqbal and had interacted with him on several occasions and engaged him in philosophical debates. One of his debates with Iqbal led to creation of one of his poems in his book Zarb-e-Kaleem.[13][2]
Ahmed Shah Bokhari was well read in Greek philosophy. He wrote an article Ancient Greek Rulers and Their Thinking which was published in March 1919 in the Kehkashan Lahore. He was only 21 at the time.[11]
His work at the UN was truly amazing during many years of his service to this body, which was in infancy while Patras worked there. One of his major contributions was fighting the case of UNICEF during meetings which were convened to discuss its closure because apparently it had fulfilled its designated task. Patras argued successfully that UNICEF's need in developing countries is much greater than its role in European countries after second world war. His arguments persuaded even Eleanor Roosevelt to change the stance of her country, United States.[3][5]
His contributions to the UN as a leading diplomat were summed up by Ralph J. Bunche (UN Secretary General and Nobel Peace Laureate) in these words:
"Ahmed Bokhari was, in fact, a leader and a philosopher, a savant, indeed, even though not old in years, a sort of elder statesman. His true field of influence was the entire complex of the United Nations family.... He was acutely conscious of the aspirations of people throughout the world for peace, for better standards of life, for freedom and dignity, but no one was more soundly aware than he of the difficulties and obstacles to be overcome in bringing about a broad advance of humankind along these avenues."[2]
Bokhari's great work was done at the UN. He said that apart from being as great an internationalist as Dag Hammarskjöld, he was the first advocate of liberation movements in colonized countries across Africa and the Middle East. That credit has been denied him by his countrymen, as they have denied it to Sir Zafralla Khan, though for different reasons.[14]
Death and legacy
In 1923, he married Zubaida Wanchoo, a Punjabi-speaking Kashmiri lady, and daughter of a superintendent of police. They had three children – two sons Mansoor and Haroon, and a daughter Roshan Ara. Roshan Ara died as a child. Patras Bokhari died on December 5, 1958, still serving as a diplomat and is buried in Valhalla Cemetery, New York.[15][3]
A major Pakistani English language newspaper comments about him, "In addition he inspired great devotion and love in his friends, companions and students."[3]
In October 1998, to mark his birth centenary, the Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor under the series, "Pioneers of Pakistan".[17][18]
Dr. Anwar Dil, a well known Pakistan writer based in the US published a book on Patras Bokhari in 1998 called "On This Earth Together" in 1998, after 20 years of painstaking research in the US and Pakistan.[18]
Named after him
The Government of Tunisia, named a road after him in Tunis, in recognition for his contribution towards the freedom of Tunisia from French Colonial Rule in 1956.[5] There is also a road named after him in Islamabad, Pakistan.[19]
Government College, Lahore named their auditorium "Bokhari Auditorium" to honour him.[18]
^ abcAhmed, Khaled (13 May 1999). "The House of Patras". The Friday Times. Retrieved 10 August 2019. Ahmed Shah spoke Hindko at home because his mother was Hindko-speaking.
