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French TV channel telecasts

film to mark 'Pakistan Day' celebrations

ISLAMABAD: The French Television Channel "La Cinquieme" (Channel-5) has telecast a documentary film about the establishment of Pakistan to mark Pakistan Day celebrations on Friday.

The 50-minute film titled "Pakistan"une partition sanglante" (A Bloody Partition) focused on the demand of the Muslims of South Asia for an independent homeland, the exodus of Muslims from India to Pakistan, the massacre of Muslims and non-Muslims at the time of partition of the sub-continent in 1947, and the role played by the Quaid-e-Azam in leading the struggle of the Muslims for freedom.

The Quaid's role in the freedom struggle was mainly presented through clips of interviews with eminent personalities associates with the Quaid-e-Azam and who had witnessed the parititon.

The personalities interviewed included Dina Wadia, daughter of Quaid-e-Azam, Sir Stafford Cripps, Alan Campbell Johnson, spokesman of Lord Mountbatton; Arthur Williams, Minister of Interior of pre-partition Punjab; Sahibzada Yaqub Ali Khan, former Foreign Minister, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, member of National Security Council and former Secretary General OIC, Justice Javed Iqbal, Aslam Khattak, Yousuf Haroon, Ijlal Haider Zaidi and late Z A Suleri.

The film was intersperspersed with file footage relating to the partition of the sub-continent.

The film was originally produced in 1999, by Cafe Productions Limited for Channel-4 TV of the UK. It was produced and directed by Sophia Swire and Christopher Michell respectively.

The film was dubbed and sub-titled in French by Paris-based Company Cinebk.ÑAPP