Top 10 Famous Pakistani English and Urdu Writers and their Books

Pakistani writers have attracted a lot of international as well as local recognition, lately. And, they so well deserve it! It isn’t only because these top Pakistani writers compose stories on terrorism or even war on terrorism for that matter. Their literary opus is mostly centered on fiction, nonfiction, romance, comedy, war and other important societal issues. Even their fictional accounts tend to teach us a lesson or two about our contemporary values and the core of culture. Every book of theirs is thought provoking. Here’s a list of top Pakistani writers:

1.   EX MAJOR AFTAB AHMAD

Ex Major Aftab Ahmad is a writer who hails from Kharian city, District Gujrat. He is a graduate of Islamia College, Lahore. Major Aftab Ahmad was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in Baloch Regiment’s 25th Battalion. Furthermore, he got staff experience and command as a middle ranking field officer at a very young age. He also took part in the unfortunate East Pakistan civil war that led to the Indo-Pak war in 1971. General Zia ul Haq, the then military dictator, arrested him during his military regime because of his profound resistance and rebellion against the Martial Law system prevalent in Pakistan. Moreover, he was tried-in-camera as the “principal accused” at Attock Fort by a special military court. They alleged him as an officer who waged war against Pakistan, but he was patriotic by heart for this nation. For this reason, they sentenced him to a stringent lifetime imprisonment. But he still did not give up and continued to grapple against the miserable plight that existed in Pakistani prisons as well as for human rights, dignity, integrity, revival of constitution and honor - with substantial victory. In December 1988, General Zia’s sudden demise in an air crash restored civil order in Pakistan which resulted in the release of him as well as other political prisoners from jails. But as an outspoken man that he was, Benazir Bhutto got him into police custody again during her democratic rule in 1994 for political defiance. For three years he remained behind bars where his wife and children would visit him at times. November 1996 marked Benazir Bhutto’s fall and made him realize that every cloud has a silver lining. His incarceration had given him more courage. Such ordeals made him a prolific writer of non-fictional accounts and Islamic books. Among his books are: General! I Accuse You - a 300 paged testimony in Attock Fort against General Zia’s military regime for restoration of democracy and human rights; Uss Lashkar Ko Jaan Pyaari Thi, telling his personal experiences in 1971 war; Akhri Salaam, a personal account of civil war in East Pakistan; 11veen Salebi Jang where he depicts how the USA as a superpower has been exploiting the Muslim World, in particular Pakistan; General Kay Qilay Say Malika Ki Jail Main, where he discusses how Benazir got him arrested without trial for his struggle for human rights against state oppression; and nowadays he is working on his autobiography which is in pipe. Major Aftab Ahmad has also rendered some works from other languages to English. He did an English translation of Seerat Un Nabi (S.A.W.W.) a biography of Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon him -originally written by Talib Hashmi, rendered Tehmina Durrani’s book Blasphemy into Urdu language, and translated a Turkish book on Royal Haram Empire into Urdu called Kaneez.

2.   TEHMINA DURRANI

This woman is all in one. She is one of the top Pakistani writers, women and children’s rights activist, an artist and a humanitarian. Tehmina Durrani was born in a very influential Pakistani family and brought up in Lahore’s privileged milieu. This woman of substance became the talk of town when she debuted her first book My Feudal Lord in 1991. My Feudal Lord basically exposed her husband Ghulam Mustafa Khar who was an eminent figure in politics. She narrated how he abused her in all the ways conceivable. Her marriage was a morbid nightmare – the one which she’d never imagined it to be. Her husband was a pathological narcissist who always felt jealous. He succeeded in manipulating her life for fourteen years and she suffered silently in solitude. Finally, she plucked up courage to rebel against his cruelties and sought a divorce. But as a Muslim woman who sought divorce herself, she had to pay a very high price. She lost the custody of her four kids, had to sign away every kind of financial support, and as an aftermath: her friends became estranged and her own family disowned her! This book of hers shook conservative societies because of her ardent belief in women’s rights and her personal story provided an extraordinary insight into the lives of innocent women trapped in the complex fabric of Muslim society. She also got international acclaim as well as other national level Awards. Her other books are: A Mirror to the Blind (1995), Blasphemy (1998), and Happy Things in Sorrow Times (2013) and an upcoming coffee table book of paintings and poetry called A Love Affair.

3.   MOHSIN HAMID

A Lahore born author, he has composed four novels namely: The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Moth Smoke, Exit West, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia. Mohsin Hamid has also written a book of essays called Discontent and Its Civilizations. Hamid’s literary works have been translated into approximately 35 languages and also made to various bestseller lists.

4.   KAMILA SHAMSIE

Kamila was born in the industrial city of Karachi and one of the best Pakistani novelists. She has written over eight novels which include Burnt Shadows. Burnt Shadows made it to international scene by getting shortlisted for the Orange Prize. It also got translated to over 20 languages of the world. Kamila also has a non fiction novel called Offence: The Muslim Case. Shamsie’s A God in Every Stone was shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction as well as for Walter Scott Prize in 2015.

5.   DANIYAL MUEENUDDIN

A Los Angeles-born Pakistani writer, Daniyal graduated from Yale Law School and Dartmouth. He is known for his In Other Rooms, Other Wonders – a short story collection which got rendered into over sixteen languages, won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, The Story Prize as well as critical acclaim and honors.

6.   MONI MOHSIN

This Pakistani writer is from Lahore. She moved to England at the age of sixteen to pursue her studies at a boarding school and later on graduated from Cambridge University. Years later, she came back to Pakistan and began writing. Moni is the founder of Pakistan’s first nature magazine. Her novels include: Duty Free, The End of Innocence and The Diary of a Social Butterfly.

7.   SABYN JAVERI

This Pakistani novelist is a graduate of University of Oxford and a phD from the University of Leicester. She wrote a number of short stories in international literary journals. Her debut novel Nobody Killed Her has been a bestseller, awarding her with the Oxonion Review Short Story Award and short listing her for the first Tibor Jones Award.

8.   UMERA AHMED

Umera Ahmed is one of the leading Pakistani novelists. She was born in Sialkot city, Pakistan. Her debut novel known as Zindagi Gulzar Hai got published in a monthly digest for women. It got adapted into a screenscript and later on made into a drama serial. That drama serial opened doors of new opportunities for her and she began to write more voraciously. She got lauded on her work as it was always creatively composed sprinkled with wonderful romantic stories and lore. Her Peer E Kamil got much acclaim and praise as well. She received the Best Writer Award in Lux Style Awards ceremony for screenwriting a drama serial Meri Zaat Zare-e-Benishan. Among Umera’s famous romantic Urdu novels are: Lahasil, Haasil, Uraan, Man o Salwa, Amar Bail, Aabe Hayat, Emaan Umeed aur Muhabbat, Kankar, Sauda, Koi Baat Ha Teri Baat Main. She also wrote scripts for movies like Laal, Behadd, and Ek Thi Marium.

9.   FARHAT ISHTIAQ

Farhat Ishtiaq’s romantic Urdu novels became a mark of fame for her. She is a very diligent Pakistani writer and screenwriter. Farhat received the Best Writer Award for her phenomenal drama serial aired on television called Humsafar, in 1st HUM Awards Ceremony held in 2013. Her most read and top rating novels and drama scripts are: Humsafar, Mata-E-Jaan Hai Tu, Mere Humdum Mere Dost, Diyar-e-Dil and Bin Roy Ansoo.

10.                      MUSHARRAF ALI FAROOQI

Musharaf Ali was born in Hyderabad, a city located in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. He is an author, folklorist, founder and editor of the Urdu Thesaurus, and a storyteller. He has penned down seven fictional novels in both English and Urdu languages. Musharraf received critical acclamation for his The Story of a Widow and Between Clay and Dust. He has also rendered translations for various poetry books and Urdu novels that include: The Adventures of Amir Hamza, Selected Poetry of Afzal Ahmed Syed, Numberdar ka Neela, and Tilism e Hoshruba.

?Zainab S Rose