[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Gul Hassan Kalmati, a well-known historian and writer, died on Wednesday in Karachi after a long illness.
The 66-year-old historian, dubbed a “living encyclopaedia” by his peers, was laid to rest in his native village of Arzi Khan Baloch, located in Karachi’s outskirts.
He leaves behind a widow, a daughter, and seven boys.
Thousands of people from various walks of life, including civil society activists, politicians, admirers, friends, and relatives, attended the historian’s funeral.
Kalmati was well recognised as a writer for meticulously documenting Karachi’s history, particularly its geography, culture, communities, architecture, and coastline.
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He has had at least 13 books published in Sindhi, Urdu, and English. Among his best-sellers are ‘Coastal Islands of Sindh,’ ‘Immoral Characters of Karachi,’ ‘Karachi Ja Lafani Kirdar,’ ‘Sindh Ja Samoondi Bhet,’ ‘Karachi: Sindh Ji Marui,’ ‘Karachi Jon Rehaishi Scheemon,’ ‘The Impact of Urban Construction on Women’s Livelihood,’ and others.
“Kalmati was a thorough gentleman who did an excellent job writing Karachi’s history,” one of his acquaintances, Dr Ayoob Shaikh, said. “He re-wrote Karachi’s history in the true sense and investigated the truth,” he continued.
“He was a brilliant researcher, and whatever he wrote was the result of his own commitment and hard work,” Dr. Shaikh remarked.
Kalmati had been receiving therapy for the past four months and was being monitored by prominent doctors on the orders of the Sindh government.
The historian worked for the Sindh government’s local government department until retiring six years ago.
Senior writer Riaz Sohail stated that while working for the government, he produced articles for the Sindhi daily newspaper Awami Awaz.
“He wrote what was completely neglected,” he explained. “He wrote about Karachi’s indigenous people.” “He wrote about Karachi’s architecture, fishing communities, and culture,” he explained.
“His findings are very interesting,” Sohail stated, quoting from one of his books. He also advised individuals interested in learning more about Karachi to study Kalmati’s writings.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
