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By Shafique Ahmed Shafique

Book’s Name:Aashob-e-Sindh Aur Urdu Fiction

Author’s name:Syed Mazher Jamil

I do not agree with view point of Jacques Derrida (born in July 15, 1930, El Biar, Algeriadied October 8, 2000) that after creating a poem, short story and novel the writer lives no more and he dies. According to my point of view a writer or poet becomes more alive and prominent after writing his remarkable literary piece. It is obvious that Writers’ writings help make their position more strong and comprehensive. Therefore, it is interesting to know about the author before studying his writings. So before commenting on the book “Aashob-e-Sindh Aur Urdu Fiction” (The uproar/tumult of Sindh and Urdu Fiction) I want to say something about the author of the book. Syed Mazher Jameel (Advocate) poet of yester-years giving up poetic activities drew his full attention towards prose writing and wrote a long research-article “Urdu Sawaneh Negari Ka Irteqa” (Progress of biography-writing in Urdu) for M.A. under the guidance of renowned Soofi, educationist, critic-cum-researcher Dr Ghulam Mustafa Khan in 1960.

He has also compiled a book containing interviews which were taken from some important and renowned progressive writers of Urdu and other penmen of Pakistani languages on the occasion of Golden Jubilee Conference of Progressive Movement in 1986. The name of the book is “Guftugu.” There are 12 interviews in this book. Sardar Jaferi, Syed Sibte Hasan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shaukat Siddiqi, Dr Qamar Raees, Dr Muhammed Ali Siddiqi, Sobho Gian Chandani, Meer Abdullah Jan Jamaldini, Shafi Aqeel, Saleem Raaz, Dr Mutiullah Shad and Tahir Afridi ‘s interviews are included in it. It may be mentioned here that these were not taken by Mazher Jameel only. These interviews have been taken by different panels of writers. Mazher Jameel has very successfully established himself as a scholarly literary researcher, historian and critic. Born on March 9, 1936 in Nagpur CP (India), his family name is Syed Mazherul Haq, his father’s name is Syed Abdul Qadir, got primary and school final education in Sakhkhar, passed M.A.in 1962 from University of Sindh, Hyderabad. At first started his career as a teacher, after passing LLB in 1960, he Registered himself as practicing lawyer in 1963 and continued till 1973. He secured a job as a law officer in 1973 in United Bank Limited (UBL). His extraordinary performances pave the way for his promotion and he became chief law officer.  Jameel retired from this organization as Executive Vice President in 1996. After retirement he again started practicing as a Senior Advocate of the High Court of Sindh in Karachi.

Besides “Guftugu” and the book under review “Aashob-e-Sindh Aur Urdu Fiction” he has more three books to his credit such as “Jadeed Sindhi Adab (Rujhanato-Milanat)”, “Angaray Say Pighla Neelam Tak” and “Zikr-e-Faiz.” In the student life he was also an active worker of Democratic Students Federation. He was also connected with the daily “Kaleem” Sukher and periodicals such as weekly ‘Rah’numa’ and monthly ‘Tulu-e-Afkar Karachi. Mazher Jameel’s works in research, socio-cultural history and literary criticism are, therefore, all the more very important and precious as he has made remarkable literary efforts in these fields. He has been given the following awards: TAMGHA-E-IMTIAZ awarded by His Excellency the President of Pakistan in the year 2010. MOLVI ABDUL HAQUE AWARD by the Pakistan Academy of  Letters of Islamabad in the year 2010. MOLVI ABDUL HAQUE AWARD by the Academy of Letters of Pakistan, Islamabad.  The book “Aashob-e-Sindh Aur Urdu Fiction” has been divided in to 23 chapters and every chapter has many sub-chapters. The book is very meritorious in view of subject matter. It gives a vast critical survey of history, politics, economics and social background of Sindh with impact of these element on Urdu Fiction.

Short write-ups of Khaleeq Ebrahim Khaleeq, Sobho Gian Chandani, Ali Ahmed Brohi and Dr Syed Jafer Ahmed have also been included in this book. Forewords of the book has been written by Dr Jameel Jalibi and Preface by the author himself. Keeping in view the book “Ashoob-e-Sindh Aur Urdu Fiction’ (The tumult of Sindh and Urdu Fiction) it may be opined that it is not only a meritorious effort in view of discussing and throwing light about the tumults which occurred in Sindh from past to present time but also a pre-eminence work related to Sindh which has been done by Syed Mazhar Jameel first time in Urdu along with literary taste, temperament and values.

It is also an effective and impressive assessment of Urdu fiction and its creators. This book, no doubt consists of vast, scholarly and deep analytical study of its concerned aspects. The author of the book under discussion who is himself a veteran writer, seasoned critic and recognized research scholar has successfully presented his multi-dimensional research and literary biography of Urdu fiction in Sindh. He has tried to analyze those very events, circumstances and human tragedies which had occurred after   partition of Indian Sub-continent and the migration of Indian Muslims from India to newly born Pakistan specially, to Sindh. He has very deeply, attentively and carefully studied the works of Urdu fiction written on the uproars, tragedies, homelessness, non-employments, injustices and unawareness about the migrants.

He has also keenly and sagaciously strived to find out the actions, reactions of native people in this situation and how the Urdu fiction writers had felt these events and what kind of treatment they had given to these matters and issues in their fiction-writings. My critical consciousness compelling me to admit that it is a great obligation of the author on Urdu language, Urdu criticism and its readers. This voluminous, authentic and comprehensive biography of Urdu fiction in which, Sindh’s history, culture, civilization, economic events and social scenario of people of this province is a memorable work to remain bright in the years to come. The author had taken a sensitive subject and there was a fear to become biased and to some extent unbalanced during writing the book but it is praiseworthy that he passed this difficult path safely and soundly. He proved himself that he is a man of justice as well as honest and has a balanced attitude towards his political, social and literary criticism. It is very much credible that denying Darida’s viewpoint the author is alive with his own feelings, philosophy and ideology after writing this book without missing important sources, books and concerned pieces of literature in connection with the uproar of Sindh.

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