KARACHI, Nov 11: Writers and poets at a literary sitting held here by the Fiction Group on Saturday came down hard on the conduct of the Idara-i-Adbiyat-i-Pakistan in the selection of writers for awards.
They demanded that there be no permanent body of judges to avoid favouritism and corruption. Prior to the selection of books for awards, a procedure be announced and writers be allowed to know where and when their books should reach. The rules and criteria for the selection of books also be known through the media, they said.
The official body preferably buy the books itself to be considered for the award.
The subject was opened for discussion by Saba Ikram who was supported by Ali Haider Malik. Saba read out an editorial of quarterly Khayal, Karachi, on this topic. It said: “Is it possible for a panel of only six judges to go through all the books published during a year and make recommendations after critical study? Is there any system of listing and short-listing the books?” It was sadly noted, the editorial said, that the awards since 1997 had been given to the members of the same “group” in rotation, and some of them had been honoured over and over again.
A writer was awarded for his “best critical writings” in 1998 and then again in the year 2000 posthumously. Similarly, a poet was honoured for his “best poetry” in 1999 and for the “Kamal-i-Fun” award the very next year, as if it were a game of musical chair among a select group of poets and writers. Three articles on the same subject, one by Shafeeq Ahmad Shafeeq and the other two by Ahmed Zainuddin, editor Roshnai, and Jamal Naqvi, were read out, which showed the extent of resentment among the writers community who criticized some judges by naming them. There was also an impression that writers and poets of Sindh, particularly of Karachi, were deliberately ignored. Known poet and critic Ahmed Hamdani disclosed that the names of such acknowledged literary figures such as Mohammed Hasan Askari, Mumtaz Husain, poets Salim Ahmad and Aziz Hamid Madni had been recommended for official awards in the past but were ignored by the central body.
Mahmood Wajid, a member of the presidium, explained in some detail the maladministration and the lop-sided system of the official body in the selection of “best” books. He was especially critical that “fiction writers are being systematically sidelined.”
Dr Hanif Fauq, the other member of the presidium, who had been a member of the judges team in the past, pointed out the lapses in the system of selection. Showing due respect to the members of the selection body, he however advised the resentful speakers to avoid naming them and supported the idea that the whole system should be reformed for the purpose of clarity and fair judgment.
The speakers were Muslim Shamim, Husain Anjum, editor Tulu-i-Afkar, Saifur Rahman Grami, Ms Shahnaz Noor, Dr Mohsin, Ahmed Saghir Siddiqui, Ms Nasim Anjum and Ms Fauzia Mushtaq. — Hasan Abidi
