Q: What are you currently reading?

A: I am reading Hubs, which is a book by Dr Hasan Manzar about a Palestinian family that also discusses the Palestine issue.

Hasan Manzar tried to give new life to the Palestine issue, and it has been many years since I have read such a good book. The writer handles the subject and presentation of the story amicably.

The writing style grabs the reader’s attention, and it would be difficult to stop reading the book without completing it. He describes the situation in a unique way so that while reading the book one can assume he was there at the location. He describes the olive farms very closely.

Q: Is there any book or author you read recently that you particularly enjoyed?

A: I have been reading many books by Syed Mohammad Ashraf’s Akhari Sawarian. He is the best Urdu fiction writer. He usually wrote about Indian Muslim traditions and culture.

I also enjoyed his book Number Dar Ka Neela. His characterisation is [excellent], he forces the reader to understand the feelings of his characters. I must say he is the best fiction writer from the Indo-Pak [region].

I also recently read the Urdu translation of Milian Kundera’s Immortality, by Arshad Waheed, which was titled Baqa-i-Dawam. I usually read English novels, but Arshad Waheed’s translation caught my attention.

I also enjoyed Samar Saamir, which is a compilation of short stories by Aslam Sirajuddin. His use of unfamiliar words, themes, symbols and even characters is remarkable, his settings surreal. With these qualities he revealed a dimension of the Urdu language that had never been seen before.

Q: What do you think of the work of the country’s current writers?

A: The slot for best writer is always vacant, and it will be difficult to say who the best is. There are many great novels and writers in the country. And while I am a reader of fiction I am also interested in poetry.

After the work of Intizar Hussain, Qurratulain Hyder, Abdullah Hussain and Mustansar Hasan Tarar, writers are still producing creative work in the country and the future of fiction writing is very bright.

Q: What are you planning to read next?

A: I am planning to read a number of books, including Memory of Departure by Abdul Razaq Gurnah. Syed Saeed Naqvi translated this novel to Urdu and he is also a well known short story writer and lived in the United States.

Being a writer, reading is necessary. I start my day reading books, and end the day reading books.

Published in Dawn February 8th, 2017