A well-rounded view of the Urdu literary world

Karachi

The three issues of the famous monthly literary magazine, ‘Adab-e-Latif’ (AL), published this year have managed to sustain the mark of quality writing and content that one has come to expect of the widely read publication.

With various pieces exploring different forms and branches of literature, with a particular focus on indigenous material, the three issues of the monthly released this year have presented a well-rounded picture of the dynamics of the modern literary world.

This year’s content is leant further standing by the seamless incorporation of varying historical views and perspectives from different cultures, through noteworthy pieces from the past.

On the whole, the content for the issues of January, February and March included critical essays, short stories, poetic works and also memoirs about eminent personalities such as Munshi Prem Chand, Intizaar Hussain, Zamir Jafri, Syed Fakhruddin Balay, Hassan Abbas, Danial Tareer, Aizaz Ahmed Azar, Dr Ziaul Hassan, Afzal Ahsan Randhawa, Nawabzada Yousuf Ali Khan Aziz Magsi, Arif Dirlik, Prof Kaleem Ahsan Butt and others.

Contributors for poetry, fiction, languages, short stories and analytical pieces include Anwar Moeen Zubairi, Jabbar Mirza, Jameel Yousuf, Shahid Bukhari, Jameel Yousuf, Muhammad Aslam, Rabia Al-Raba, Talat Noreen, Safdar Siddiq Razi, Adam Sher, Mushtaq Ahmed Noori, Karamat Bukhari, Tauqeer Ahmed Sharifi, Prof Akbar Muneer, Farrukh Sohail Goindi, Syed Anwer Jawaid Hashmi, MZ Kanwal, Shahid Bilal, Ziaul Hassan Zia, Ahmed Sohail and others.

AL’s chief editor, Siddiqa Begum, is known for her special issues, called ‘khaas numbers’, and while the monthly’s March issue is part of this category, there are more special issues planned for the near future as well.

One of Siddiqa Begum’s notable achievements has been the publishing of two huge monthlies that covered 75 years of AL’s publication, an effort that paid homage to her father, Barkat Ali Chaudhry, the founder of AL. 

Now, as made clear by famous writer Altaf Fatima in her letter and Mazhar Saleem Majoka in his editorial note for the March, another special issue is also under the management’s consideration and could be expected on the completion of 80 years of AL’s publication.