LAHOREHe may not be as ‘witty’ as Col Zamir Jafri, nor as realistic as Abdullah Hussain, but Capt (R) Liaqat Ali Malik is certainly very direct, honest and true to his feelings in his writings to the extent of sarcasms as his first-ever book of short stories titled, ‘Hasil-e-Mohabat’ (Love’s
ByShahab Ansari
March 25, 2015
LAHORE He may not be as ‘witty’ as Col Zamir Jafri, nor as realistic as Abdullah Hussain, but Capt (R) Liaqat Ali Malik is certainly very direct, honest and true to his feelings in his writings to the extent of sarcasms as his first-ever book of short stories titled, ‘Hasil-e-Mohabat’ (Love’s Dividends) tells us. A novice in the bottomless ocean of words and a soldier by profession, Malik’s intensity of feelings, a fertile imagination and spontaneity in writing makes him a very welcoming addition to the writers clan. Born in a remote town of Narowal, Liaqat Ali Malik graduated from Government College Lahore and joined Pakistan army in 1995. He served the nation with distinctions at the coldest and highest warfront of Siachin and many other places. Liaqat Ali Malik left army and joined Police Department in 2005 and had been awarded the President of Pakistan’s Pakistan Police (PPM) Medal and Best Police Officer of 2011 Award. Before indulging into the Malik’s first intellectual endeavour ‘Hasil-e-Mohabat’, we should give him maximum marks on two counts: One, despite being a professional soldier, Malik never allowed his fertile imagination to dry up, and on the second count, he has silenced the critics of men in uniform by breaking the myth that professional soldiers and policemen have a limited or a ‘controlled’ horizon. His 32 stories speak much louder than any written review on the writer and his maiden attempt. Not all, but just to name a few big names, men and women of letters who have said great things about Liaqat Ali Malik and his crafty talent includes Bano Qudsia, Mastansar Hussain Tarar, Prof Abdullah Bhatti and Dr Ajmal Niazi. Some of the short stories in this book open a new vista of thought and take one into another world altogether. Yet, there are some, which dissect the present, sick and rotten system like a committed surgeon, without having mercy on the patient. After sailing through Malik’s world in ‘Hasil-e-Mohabat’, one craves more for such a brilliant exercise in modern day prose.
