Pakistani English Novelists Prof M.

Javed

Dep. Of English

Ahmed Ali is famous for his novel” Twilight in Dehli”. It is his famous works apart from

two of his other novels. It is a kind of dialogues between old values and emergent new

values under the influence of English culture. The character of Mr. Nehal stands for

traditional values and his son Asgher represents the new generation. Thus the conflict

between traditionalism modernisms is an important theme of the novel. Ahmed nicely

portrays his spirit of transitional ages. The old order represented by British is departing

and new order is now still in process of formation. Change that is only the permanent

thing in life is portrayed in the character of Mr. Nehal and Asgher. Another important

theme of this novel is the impact of British rule on the life and culture of Muslims.

“The Heart Divided” deals with the theme of partition of sub-continent into Pakistan and

India. This novel is does not focuses on the bloodshed that followed the partition. It

narrates the interaction and dialogues among Muslims, Hindus and Britishes. “The Heart

Divided” can be compared with Bepsi Sidhva’s “Cracking India”. All these novels give

Pakistani writers point of view on the issues of partition of sub-continent. Indian and

British writers have also given their respective point of views. E.M. Foster’s “A Passage

to India” and Paul Scot’s “Raj Quartet” that consists of four novels deal with the theme.

Similarly Khuswant Singh gives Indian point of view on the issues of partition in his

famous novel “Train to Pakistan”. A very useful creative dialogue is going on in their

works. These writers are trying to rewrite the history according to their point of views.
However their novels have very nicely portrayed interaction and relation between the

British colonizers and the Indian colonized ones (that consist of Muslims and Hindus)

Zulfqar Ghos’s “The Murder of Aziz Khan” is a social novel. It deals with the problems

arising from industrialization and capitalism in Pakistan. The change in the relation and

nature of human beings under the impact of industrialization is the main theme of the

novel. It can be said that it is the first English novel by a Pakistani writer that deals with

society and its problems. Sara Suleri also written two autobiological novels “Meatless

Days” narrates the events that took place during the first 25 years of Pakistan. The

hanging of Z.A Bhutto, the partition of Bangladesh has been narrated. This novel also

narrated the personal life of Suleri family. The language and structure of the novel is

highly metaphorical. It appears that Sara Suleri deliberately uses stream of consciousness

technique and reterospective method to avoid the wrath of these who were in power. The

second novel “Boys will be Boys” is also autobiographical one.

The abuse of religion by so called the religious saints is the central theme of Tehmina

Duroni’s “Blasphemy”. The language of the novel is very simple and lucid.

Tehmina has also written her autobiographical work with the name of “My Feudal Lord”.

It discusses her married life . Tehmina Duroni’s “Blasphemy” can be compared with

Qaisra Sheraz’s two novels i.e. “Tycoon” and “the Holy woman”. All these three novels

deal with tyranny of the feudal, social and religious lords in Pakistani society. Bepsi

Sidhva’s novels are also social novels dealing with the lives of people in society.
Most of contemporary Pakistani english novelists are writing about political issues that

have gained importance after the Russian invasion on Afghanistan, its defeat and then the

9/11 events. All the issues are originally interconnected. The lives of the millions of

Muslims and non-Muslims in and across the countries have been affected by the war

between America and Russia. This war was fought in Afghanistan but it had found its

echo in 9/11 events. Mohsin Hamid’s “Reluctant Fundamentalists” M.H Naqvi’s “Home

Boy” and Kamila Shamsi’s “Burnt Shadows” are the major novels that relate the impact

of 9/11 events on the lives of Pakistani people living in New York at the time of this

incident.

Tariq Ali is British Pakistani writer. He has written his novels in reply to the western

propaganda that Muslim world has no culture and civilization. This theory says, that

Muslim culture is inherently dark as compared to the western culture and therefore, it is

right for the west to dominate the world and during this process a conflict with the

Muslim world is inevitable. These people give examples of Crusades and the Muslim

Spain to prove that the Muslim and the western culture have always been hostile to one

another. Samuel P Huntington sums up this idea in his clash of civilization theses.

Tariq Ali has written historical novels to prove that Muslims and the Christian world has

co-existed and cooperated in the past. The Muslims of the past were the harbinger of

enlightenment in Europe. Similarly the crusaders were the Christian fundamentalists from

Europe who invaded the Muslim world. Here is the brief introduction of Tariq Ali’s

novels
“Shadow of the Pomegranate Tree” is about the last days of the Muslims in Spain.

The book of Saladin narrates the attack of crusaders. Sala-ud-din Ayubi is the hero of

novel.

A sultan in Palermo reminds the Muslim rule in the island of Sicily.

“The Stone Woman” tells the story of the emergence Turkish republic from the ruin of

Ottoman Empire.

“The night of golden butterfly” is about Pakistan from 1960 to present days. It is an auto

biographical novel. It also describes the major problems faced by Pakistan.

Muhammad Hanif is “The case of Exploding Mangoes” narrates the Bahawalpur air crash

in which Pakistan military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq lost his life.

Pakistani fiction is, so far, essentially political. It has responded to the national and

international politics. However, social issues have also taken their place in Bepsi Sidhva,

Mohsin Hamid, Qaisara Sheraz and Tehminadurani’s fictions. The purpose of this essay

is to introduce the readers with the paksitani English novelists. This is not complete

survey and Tariq Rehman’s “History of Pakistani English Literature” is suggested for

those whose are interested in Pakistan’s English novelists.