KARACHI: After partition some of the greatest literary figures have emerged in Pakistan while India has produced critics and researchers who have worked extensively on these literary personalities.

These thoughts were articulated by Prof Anis Ashfaq, a distinguished literary critic, poet and novelist from Lucknow in the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu reception held on its premises in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Saturday.

In town to attend the seventh Urdu conference, Prof Ashfaq was delighted to be here and appreciated Karachi and its literary activities in his introductory remarks.

He confessed that he had preconceived notions about the city, but added that they were dispelled ever since he arrived here a couple of days ago.

“I was never given permission by my department [Prof Ashfaq was the head of the Urdu department at Lucknow University for 16 years] to visit Pakistan. But now I am retired. Hence, when I was invited to attend the conference, I jumped at the opportunity. I must add that I have been completely floored by the love and affection showered by Karachi and its denizens.

“I was particularly impressed by the people who turned up every day at the conference despite the law and order situation that one keeps hearing about Karachi. We have been brainwashed with misconceptions and prejudices regarding your country. And these can only disappear when people from both sides meet each other and it is imperative that there is an exchange of cultures between the two.”

Elucidating post-partition literature, the Urdu scholar said even though partition led to displacement, migration and bloodshed, it created some of the great literary traditions in the region along with new trends and new voices. “It is only because of the partition that Intizar Husain and Nasir Kazmi longed for their homeland, reflecting in their works. Similarly, one finds a powerful expression of rootlessness in Iftikhar Arif’s poetry.”

Regarding research work in India on Pakistani writers, Prof Ashfaq informed the attendees that Indian researchers and critics were writing research papers on Nasir Kazmi, Asad Mohammad Khan, N. M. Rashid among many others.

“We have produced quite a bit already and we continue to do so. There is a non-Muslim researcher, Ashutosh Shrivastav, who is writing his dissertation on Nasir Kazmi.”

Earlier, well-known poet, columnist and novelist Zahida Hina read out a critical analysis of the Indian scholar’s new novel Dukhiaray. Quoting various excerpts from the novel, Ms Hina said that the plot essentially highlighted what was conceived as the sectarian conflict between the Sunnis and Shias along with Lucknow as shehr-i-ashob (a volatile city that is declining socially and economically). Waxing lyrically on Dukhiaray, Ms Hina said that readers would find several heartfelt passages within the novel. “The book raises important questions relating to freedom and partition.”

Poet and feminist writer Dr Fatima Hassan also spoke highly of Professor Ashfaq’s work of fiction. “Despite the fact that Prof Ashfaq is from Lucknow, the sentences used in his narrative are simple and short. His book is an important legacy of the modern novel.”

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014