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English literature from Pakistan has come of age

Among the modern breed of Pakistani English writers, Nadeem Aslam and Kamila Shamsie have become rock stars of our times.

What is it about Pakistan that produces a very creative lot of writers in English? The literature emerging from the country has both gravitas and quality compared to other major countries in the subcontinent. In the estimation of several social commentators, it is not uncommon to expect the greatest literature from situations of conflict and humdrum.

Among the modern breed of Pakistani English writers, Nadeem Aslam and Kamila Shamsie have become rock stars of our times. Winning acclaim for his works like Season of the Rainbirds, Maps for Lost Lovers and Blind Man's Garden, Aslam's writings have sought to avoid clichéd attitudes. His stories contain powerful characters loosely based on local tradition and culture.
Shamsie on the other hand has been recognised for her passionate portrayal of issues that revolve around identity and origins. She notes the turbulence of the Pakistani society in her books like In the City by the Sea, Salt and Saffron, Broken Verses, Burnt Shadows and A God in Every Stone. Critics credit Shamsie for her intelligent examination of human identities.
Hanif Kureishi, the British-Pakistani playwright, has been hailed as one of the finest English writers in England. He shot into fame with award-winning books like Something to Tell You, London Kills Me and My Beautiful Laundrette. Kureishi was made the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008.
Another prominent Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid is credited with fusing personal and political in his books. Moth Smoke (2000) established him as an important voice. The book was translated into 30 languages, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, featured on bestseller lists and adapted into a movie. Excerpts from Hamid's works have regularly appeared in the New Yorker, Granta, Paris Review and the New York Review of Books. The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007), and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013) were both best sellers.
Famous for his translation of Urdu classics like Hoshruba and The Adventures of Amir Hamza, Musharraf Ali Farooqi has written fiction for children including The Amazing Moustaches of Moochhander the Iron Man and Other Stories. Farooqi's work The Story of a Widow (2009) was shortlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, while Between Clay and Dust, a book highly praised for its triumph of storytelling and exploration of love, honour and redemption, was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize.
Author Daniyal Mueenuddin, known for his writings that encompass a magnificent diversity,  has earned kudos for his richly textured stories that reveal the complexities of Pakistani class and culture. Mueenuddin's short-story collection In Other Rooms, Other Wonders was translated into 16 languages and won The Story Prize and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, among other top honours. Most of his works reflect the triumphs, misunderstandings and tragedies of everyday life.
sadiq@khaleejtimes.com