ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Pakistan Academy of Letters Chief Iftikhar Arif has expressed grief over the demise of Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate Negeib Mahfooz (1911-2006), who died in his home country on Wednesday.

In his condolence message to the parallel writers’ organisation in Egypt, Mr Arif said: “Negeib Mahfooz was a unique novelist and short story writer who brought forward a rare absorbing style of portraying characters for which he was justifiably honoured with the Nobel Prize for Literature.”

He said Mr Mahfooz’s views on modernism and religious tolerance were greatly admired, as were 50 or more books he wrote to give the picture of Egyptian urban civilization.

He almost became a legendary literary figure after writing the trilogy Ban ul Qasrain, Qasrul Shauq and Shukriya.

Negeib Mahfouz remains the only Arab writer to win Nobel Prize for Literature and his great strength was his treatment of themes and characters inhabiting the streets of Cairo he knew best.

He was regarded as the successor of Mohammad Husain Heikal, who brought alive the first Egyptian novel and modern realistic fiction.