Akhlaq Ahmed set the tone for the event by presenting a thesis which ended on a positive note: that while 21st century fiction may seem disorganised or incoherent (bay tarteeb) eventually it would prove to be multilayered (tehdaar). He said so while building the argument that contemporary writers face challenges of imperialism as well as of the Taliban. Dr Mustufa Husain spoke on the translation of Danish fiction into Urdu and the problems associated with the task.

Asif Farrukhi spoke on the trends (rujhanaat) and possibilities (imkanaat) in Urdu fiction. He began by suggesting that if these terms are deconstructed then trends would undergo change and possibilities would subside. In a subtle manner, he lamented the fact that Urdu fiction’s readership has dwindled over time, so much so that the need to reassess and reaffirm the importance of the genre has become the need of the hour. He argued that studying fiction gives rise to ‘empathy’ in readers, which is fast disappearing from our society. Using Munshi Premchand as an example, Farrukhi said that stories such as ‘Kafan’ create sympathy for others, making it important for us to read fiction and with a fair degree of depth.

Writer Hasan Manzar, however, said that there is neither a paucity of readers of fiction nor of empathy. The problem, he said, is that many writers are finding it hard to be published.

Meanwhile, Hameed Shahid spoke on the subjects (mozua’at) and style (usloob) of modern fiction. He claimed that fiction in essence is a modern genre and gave examples of masters such as Manto to argue that everyone is writing in their own style. He rounded off his thesis by suggesting that essays are written to explore subjects, not fiction.

Ali Haider Malik talked about globally significant events, such as 9/11, that have influenced fiction in recent times. Zahida Hina traced the history of the afsana from the time of the World War I. Rashidul Khairi was one of the earlier exponents of the genre in the subcontinent, she said, adding that with the publication of Angaare, Urdu fiction joined its world counterparts. The Progressive Writers Movement played a significant role in enriching form and later on, abstraction and symbolism too became writers’ tools. Summing up, Masood Ashar said (in reference to Akhlaq Ahmed’s arguments) that things have changed in our society and relationships have undergone major shifts. What needs to be seen is whether fiction is in sync with these changes as we are living in confused times.

In conclusion, Asad Mohammad Khan narrated a very short story about two friends, one of whom was an alcoholic poet living in Karachi’s Garden East area and the other a man by the name of Hafiz Yousuf who used to provide him with alcohol so that the poet could write ghazals and didn’t have to waste his time going to the shops. It was a poignant reminder of how things have changed, as two contrasting schools of thought could not only live side by side but also cared for each other.