‘Paaon’ — A modern sufi’s whispered exposé of life down the forbidden track

Islamabad

To introduce Irfan Ahmad Urfi’s collection of short stories titled ‘Paaon’, the book distribution ceremony held at Black Box Sounds on Saturday was marked as a stimulus to reopen literary communion to recognise the need to uphold free expression in acquiescent to literary traditions around the world. Attended by a significant number of literati from the twin metropolis, the ceremony unanimously described Urfi’s book as a modern sufi’s whispered exposé of life down the forbidden track.

Wrapped in mist of harsh realities hidden behind the curtains of societal taboos, Urfi’s book is a compilation of stories written by him over a period of 20 years, reflecting a silent protest that reminds one of Manto’s works, who was an acclaimed but controversial south Asian literary figure. One feels that the torch is passed on and we realise that sometimes, instead of becoming a role model or alter ego, the boss-writer is just pure ego and that pure ego is echoed in Urfi’s writing clearly. Without thinking about the implications, Urfi just use his power of words and pen spontaneously to sketch life in all tangible and vibrant colours of reality that surrounds us. Urfi’s book is progressively absolute in portraying the darkness of the human psyche, as he observed human freedom being violated. The writer proved this point by making a huge social commentary on economic survival in the 21st century and the mechanical lifestyle it has inflicted upon everyone through cut-throat competition which promises everything but leaves them all alone within the four walls of their self-earned empire.

Tauseeq Haider introduced Urfi’s book as a result of 20 years weaving using observation and poignant expression, connecting ‘Urfiat’ as a philosophy of life. Among the Speakers sharing their observation while reviewing the book, Syed Shamoon Hashmi congratulated him that ‘Paaon’ has brought him to the arena of ‘denigration and vilification’ faced by great writer like Ismat Chugtai in 1940’s as she saw what the society chose to negate and thus created an uproar. Appreciating Urfi for his compassionate expression of rebellion against the societal taboos, Haris Khalique said that Urfi in his book has boldly revealed truth in whispered tone while portraying reality. Hamid Shahid, Shakeel Akhter, Javed Iqbal, Fakhar Abbas and few others also shared their views on Urfi’s book.

Known as a screen playwright for over two decades, Urfi truly represent the writers who were marked as an enemy of society, that is, of the privileged and the powerful. He seems to have waged an individual and unaided war against the society and sometimes been an ally and spokesman of those who are different, unprivileged, or weak.  Writers like Urfi exist out in the ether, silently weaving their stories as they go through their own struggles with their own work, and the struggles are part of the process of creativity that must be recognised. Vanguard or rear guard, it makes very little difference today for writers like Urfi. One can only hope without falling in to any futile debate of the relative merits of various contemporary literary groupings, it is quite conceivable that his book ‘Paaon’ might be much more effective than an agitational work, adding freshness and new dimension in Pakistani literature. With his strength, keen observation, flexibility, and wisdom, Urfi in turn has allowed maintaining his own unique identity without retreating into the dead end of isolationism in a world that could obliterate every effort of free expression.