In late December 2024, the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for Pakistan published the Urdu translation of Dr Farhad Daftary‘s work, The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History, translated by Dr Amin Rehmani. The South Asian Studies Unit coordinated the project at the IIS. To commemorate this achievement, multiple book launch events were organised across Pakistan.
Hussain Jasani, Head of the South Asian Studies unit at the IIS, joined online during the Rahimabad book launch event, where he highlighted the book’s significance for various segments of the JamatAssembly or religious congregation; also a term used by the Nizari Ismailis for their individual communities.. He expressed appreciation for ITREB Pakistan’s leadership, the publication team, and the translator for making this important scholarly work accessible to Urdu-speaking audiences.
The inaugural book launch of the translation took place on 31 January 2025 at Aliabad Jamatkhana in Karachi, featuring exhibitions with digital displays of artefacts, a book signing session, and a talk by Dr Amin Rehmani. Nine interactive stalls, each representing a section of the book, were set up to engage attendees. Children attending the Religious Education Centre (REC) performed a play depicting an event from the Dawr al-Satr period of Ismaili history, bringing historical narratives to life. Following this, another launch was held at Rehmani Garden Jamatkhana on 2 February, and a third launch was held on 18 February in Kharadar Jamatkhana. At the book launch events, a moderator engaged Dr Rehmani in discussion, and children delivered performances depicting various episodes from Ismaili history.
