KARACHI: A novel titled Taqseem Se Taqseem Takk by Naheed Sultan Mirza was launched at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi on Thursday evening.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Sahar Ansari, who presided over the event, said it’s the writer’s fourth novel which she’s penned with a “big perspective”. These days, both in the west and in the east, writers are trying to examine what man has learned and experienced from colonial and post-colonial times. The subject has been thought about deeply in our part of the world, too, but topics such as the tragedy of East Pakistan have not spawned a worthy work of fiction or non-fiction.

Prof Ansari said Ms Mirza’s novel can be divided into three parts: the first is to do with the freedom struggle; the second relates to the time of independence; and the third spans from 1947 to 1971. The writer has diligently studied and written about them. If one was to categorise the book then it could be called an allegorical (tamseeli) novel because the characters, localities and buildings in the story are presented as such; for example, the name Azad does not just signify a person, it represents the Muslim nation.

The division of subcontinent was solace for many and tragic for some

The author, Naheed Sultan Mirza, said everyone in our world sees dreams. Some of us carry multiple dreams with them which increase with the passage of time. Psychologists find a deep relationship between human beings and their dreams. Sometimes they come true, sometimes they do not. Life is often spent to piece together broken dreams.

“My association with the world of the novel is linked to my dreams which began with short story writing. But I wanted to be a psychologist which is why I did my masters in psychology. During my studies when I visited mental hospitals I realised that mental illnesses were more painful than physical ones. It seemed that all mental ailments were to do with broken dreams…There I decided that I would write stories revolving around broken dream,” she said.

She also spoke about her degree in journalism and her life as a wife and mother.

The chief guest of the launch, former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue Shabbar Zaidi, raised a question about the character of Azad who saw four generations emerge in a house.

He said, “Does that house become his home? He is still a migrant after seeing a few generations appear… This aspect brings together a lot of other questions.”

Writer Asad Muhammad Khan’s message was read out by Iqbal Latif. He said the novel was published in May 2021 but he got to read it in September. Ms Mirza’s novels have earned praise from both readers and critics. The reader will glean a lot from her latest book because of its sharp subject matter and the writer’s sympathetic approach to life. The subcontinent’s division was an historic event — solace for many and tragic for some. The author has tackled happiness and grief in the story with understanding and honesty.

Akhlaq Ahmed, Ahmed Imtiaz and Saira Ghulam Nabi also spoke. Poet Khalid Moin moderated the launch.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2021