KARACHI, May 20: Speakers at a book launch on Saturday discussed Urdu fiction and its future, and feminist literature in particular, and declared that the feminist writers had a good contribution to Urdu literature and their share had increased with the passage of time.

The book ‘Aik Mohabbat Dau Afsanay’, written by Shirin Haider, consisted of two novelettes, based on true stories of classic love and shattered dreams. The launching was held in the Arts Council auditorium and presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

Dr Rahim, in his brief speech, appreciated the holding of the event and said such programmes would help regain the city’s true cultural stature and reduce the looming dangers of ethnicity and sectarian hatred.

“Literature is a great tool in helping culture prevail evils and dangers to the very cosmopolitan colours of society,” he said. He also pointed out that all the politicians were not villains as the author had depicted them to be in one of her novelettes.

Dr Anwer Sajjad, eminent fiction writer and playwright, discussed in detail the difference among the various forms of fiction and ambiguities that many people could not solve as how to differentiate between a novel, a novelette and a novella, and similarly which form of fiction could be called a short story.

“Let’s overcome all such ambiguities and call every novel, every short story and the rest of their offshoots just fiction and nothing else,” he suggested. He also spoke on feminist literature both in Urdu and in the West and said the women writers equally produced great literature as their male contemporaries did. He referred to various female writers in Urdu, including Rasheed Jehan and A.R. Khatoon, and said in the West women had started creating great literature in the early 19th century. He referred to Virginia Woolf and other Western writers.

Dost Mohammad Faizi and Mehmood Sham spoke on the contents of the book in a lighter tone and cheered up the gathering with their lively remarks.

Anjum Ansar complained of the critics’ failure to weigh the contribution of female writers of modern times.

Fatima Surayya Bajia, playwright and adviser to the chief minister, and Prof Sahar Ansari appreciated the writer’s effort. The writer thanked the audience.