English literature work in Pakistan
Pakistani English literature
refers to
English literature
that has been developed and evolved in
Pakistan
, as well as by members of the
Pakistani diaspora
who write in the English language. English is one of the official languages of Pakistan (the other being
Urdu
) and has a history going back to the British colonial rule in South Asia (the
British Raj
); the national dialect spoken in the country is known as
Pakistani English
. Today, it occupies an important and integral part in modern
Pakistani literature
.
[1]
Dr.
Alamgir Hashmi
introduced the term "Pakistani Literature [originally written] in English" with his "Preface" to his pioneering book
Pakistani Literature: The Contemporary English Writers
(New York, 1978; Islamabad, 1987) as well as through his other scholarly work and the seminars and courses taught by him in many universities since 1970's. It was established as an academic discipline in the world following his lead and further work by other scholars, and it is now a widely popular field of study.
Background
[
edit
]
English language poetry from Pakistan from the beginning held a special place in South Asian writing, on account of the new trends represented by
Shahid Suhrawardy
, [GM]
Ahmed Ali
,
Alamgir Hashmi
,
Taufiq Rafat
,
Daud Kamal
,
Maki Kureishi
,
Zulfikar Ghose
, Waqas Ahmed Khwaja,
Moniza Alvi
, Bilal Faruqi,
Shahid Suhrawardy
, Omar Tarin,
Kaleem Omar
,
Raja Changez Sultan
,
Muneeza Shamsie
,
Kamila Shamsie
, and others.
[2]
Fiction from
Pakistan
began to receive recognition in the latter part of the 20th century. The early success of Pakistani English poets was followed in fiction by the prose works written by
Ahmed Ali
, co-founder of The Progressive Writers Movement & Association, author of
Twilight in Delhi
(1940),
Angarey
(1932), and
Zulfikar Ghose
, and by such figures as
Bapsi Sidhwa
, the
Parsi
author of
The Crow Eaters
(1978),
Cracking India
(1988) and other novels. In the diaspora,
Hanif Kureshi
commenced a prolific career with the novel
The Buddha of Suburbia
(1990), which won the
Whitbread Award
.
Moniza Alvi
published several poetry collections and won British literary prizes.
Tariq Ali
published numerous novels and plays and broadcast TV scripts.
Aamer Hussein
wrote a series of acclaimed short story collections.
Sara Suleri
published her literary memoir,
Meatless Days
(1989). Many short story collections and some play scripts were also received well. The
Pakistan Academy of Letters
has awarded its prestigious prizes to a number of English writers. Saleem Akhtar Dhera is also a promising new name regarding Pakistani literature in English. His book of English poetry
Pale Leaves
was published in 2007 and in the same year it was honoured with National Award by Government of Pakistan.
[
citation needed
]
He was also selected as a member of a youth delegation to China.
[
citation needed
]
In the early years of the 21st century, a number of Pakistani novelists writing in English won or were shortlisted for international awards.
Mohsin Hamid
published his first novel
Moth Smoke
(2000), which won the Betty Trask Award and was a finalist for the
PEN/Hemingway Award
; he has since published his second novel,
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
(2007), which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. A film with the same name
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
(2012) was also made based on this novel.
Kamila Shamsie
, who won her first literary award in Pakistan for her first novel
In the City by the Sea
(1998), was shortlisted for the John Llewelyn Rhys award for her third novel,
Kartography
(2002); she has since published her fourth novel,
Broken Verses
(2005).
Uzma Aslam Khan
was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Eurasia region) for her second novel,
Trespassing
(2003). British-Pakistani writer
Nadeem Aslam
won the
Kiriyama Prize
for his second book,
Maps for Lost Lovers
(2004). The first novel of
Mohammed Hanif
,
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
(2008) was shortlisted for the 2008
Guardian First Book Award
.
[3]
Emerging authors such as
Kamila Shamsie
, author of
Burnt Shadows
(2009),
Daniyal Mueenuddin
, author of
In Other Rooms
,
Other Wonders
(2009), and Sabyn Javeri Jillani, author of
Nobody Killed Her
(2017) and
Hijabistan
(2019) have garnered international attention.
[4]
Journalism
[
edit
]
There is a growing English press and media in Pakistan. Several English-language newspapers of national and international repute have taken root in the country, with the most prominent being
Dawn
, established in the 1940s and
Daily Times (Pakistan)
,
The Nation
,
The News International
,
The Friday Times
,
The Express Tribune
,
The Regional Times of Sindh
and
Pakistan Observer
. The other important 1940s newspaper,
The Pakistan Times
, closed down in 1990s. Several online English dailies have also created a wide circle of readers. The Lahore Times,
[5]
The Pioneer,
[6]
The Sindh Times
[7]
Daily News
[8]
and Online Indus News
[9]
are the most prominent among them.
Prominent figures
[
edit
]
Ejaz Rahim, Hina Babar Ali, Waqas Ahmed Khwaja, Omar Tarin,
Harris Khalique
and Ilona Yusuf are now publishing fine poetry.
[10]
Other household names prominent in English literary circles include
Zulfikar Ghose
,
Kamila Shamsie
, Jamil Ahmed, and
Qaisra Shahraz
.
Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah
was among the first generation in English journalism and literary writing in Pakistan. Those who have written and spoken extensively about Pakistani English Literature, following the seminal scholarly and critical work of
Alamgir Hashmi
, are
Tariq Rahman
,
Muneeza Shamsie
, Amra Raza, Claire Chambers, Cara Cilano and Sauleha Kamal.
[11]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Prolegomena to the Study of Pakistani English and Pakistani Literature in English" (1989),
Alamgir Hashmi
,
Pakistani Literature
(Islamabad), 2:1 1993.
- ^
Dawn Poetry review, 9 April 2017
. Retrieved 5 February 2020
- ^
Higgins, Charlotte (31 October 2008).
"Five of the best in line for the Guardian first book award"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
15 March
2009
.
- ^
"Pakistani Authors Catch Literary World's Attention"
, Rob Gifford,
Morning Edition
,
NPR
, 29 May 2009
- ^
"The Lahore Times - Lahore, Pakistan News"
.
The Lahore Times
. Retrieved
8 April
2024
.
- ^
"The Pioneer-Pakistan"
.
The Pioneer-Pakistan
. Retrieved
8 April
2024
.
- ^
The Sindh Times
[
dead link
]
- ^
"Daily News ? An Online English Newspaper"
. 6 April 2024
. Retrieved
8 April
2024
.
- ^
"Online Indus - Discover the World's Latest News Pakistan news & more"
.
www.onlineindus.com
. Retrieved
8 April
2024
.
- ^
Dr Tariq Rahman, Special Critical Review of English Poetry in 'The News' 6 December 1997
- ^
"Pakistani English novel's ceaseless quest for identity"
. 3 April 2018.
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Pakistani Literature: The Contemporary English Writers
edited by Dr.
Alamgir Hashmi
(New York: World University Service, 1978; Islamabad: Gulmohar Press, 1987) (2nd ed.).
ISBN
0-00-500408-X
(OCLC #19328427; LC Card #87931006)
- Dr. Alamgir Hashmi,
Commonwealth Literature: An Essay Towards the Re-definition of a Popular/Counter Culture
, 1983.
- Dr Tariq Rahman.
A History of Pakistani Literature in English
Lahore: Vanguard, 1991
- Muneeza Shamsie (Ed).
A Dragonfly in the Sun: An Anthology of Pakistani Writing in English
(1997)
ISBN
0-19-577784-0
- Leaving Home: Towards A New Millennium: A Collection of English Prose by Pakistani Writers (2001)
ISBN
0-19-579529-6
- Dr. Amra Raza.
Spatial Constructs in Alamgir Hashmi's Poetry
Lambert Academic Publishing, 2011
- A Rahman. 'Pakistani-English Literature: The Contemporary Writings, 1999 ? present' , Ilm o Fanoon Center, Lahore, 2000.
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