KARACHI: There were two special guests in the company of some noteworthy writers, conspicuous by the absence of poets, except one or two, invited on Wednesday by Mazher Jameel to discuss the new trends in fiction with particular reference to Saba Ikram’s new book on modern short stories.

First, it was Zaheda Hena who read out her short story Maadoom Ibn Maadoom, Ibn Madoom (A generation dead and gone) describing the pathetic tale of migrations and the traumatized families on both sides of the great divide. The story spoke about the loss of values cultivated during centuries in Muslim India. But first she was asked to tell the audience about the Saarc literary award she received at Delhi last year. The Society for the Promotion of Arts and Creative Activities, formed in New Delhi in 1975, later, in 1987, started functioning as a Saarc body. At a conference the same year a Bangladeshi poet, Shamsur Rahman, was awarded the first Saarc literary award. The second recipient was Ms Zaheda, who was awarded for advocating peace and harmony between the Saarc nations, with particular reference to Pakistan and India. The president of the Saarc body is Khushwant Singh, with I. K. Gujral and many other noted intellectuals as patrons.

Saba Ikram, at the request of Mazher Jameel, read out a chapter from his book on the migration issue as treated by story writers in Urdu. His canvas was rather wide treating the issue globally — migrations from India to Bangladesh, to Pakistan, not once but twice, also from East to the West and so on. It most often carried nostalgia of the separated families, divided, not to meet again.

Saba’s book was admired by everyone, including Dr Hanif Fauq who was in the chair. Despite his reservations about the ‘modernists,’ he found the book worthy to be read. A book on modern fiction had appeared after a long gap, he said.

The meeting was attended by Sajjad Naqvi, Mehmood Wajid, Dr Mohsin, Firdaus Haider, Shamshad Ahmed, Sadiq Madhosh and others. —Hasan Abidi