Publishing in Pakistan

Safinah Danish Elahi talks to Devika Misra about the pitfalls and possibilities of publishing in Pakistan.

English readership in Pakistan is relatively small; none of the big five publishing houses has a significant base in the country. But Pakistani writer and independent publishing house owner Safinah Danish Elahi argues that English fiction by Pakistani writers deserves more attention. She contends that readership patterns are slowly evolving. Although Pakistani fiction publishing is still very much in its infancy, she believes that the role of independent publishers is more crucial than ever before. She spoke to Devika Misra on the occasion of the launch of her most recent novel, The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon.

No Funeral for Nazia, interview with Taha Kehar

 No Funeral for Nazia is Pakistani journalist and writer Taha Kehar’s third and latest work of fiction. The story highlights some of the complexity in his hometown Karachi.

He speaks to Devika Misra.

TK: There are two different Pakistans, You have the Pakistan of the elite and then you have the Pakistan that is fairly steeped in middle class values.”

Viewpoint: Soniah Kamal

Viewpoint invites authors to write about anything they want, as long as it's of interest to readers of Asian Books Blog. Soniah Kamal here talks about how she conquered her fear of cooking, and why food plays such a big role in her latest novel, Unmarriageable.

Soniah is a Pakistani-American writer. She is the author of two novels, An Isolated Incident (2014) and Unmarriageable (2019). Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, in the USA, and The Guardian, in the UK. Her short stories and essays have appeared in critically acclaimed anthologies.

Unmarriageable is a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan in 2000 and 2001. It highlights issues of colonialism, race, and Pakistani identity. Balli Jaswal Kaur, the Singaporean author of Erotic Widows for Punjabi Widows, said: "Soniah Kamal has gifted us a refreshing update of a timeless classic. Unmarriageable raises an eyebrow at a society which views marriage as the ultimate prize for women. This atmospheric novel does more than simply retell Pride and Prejudice though. Crackling with dialogue, family tensions, humour and rich details of life in contemporary Pakistan, Unmarriageable tells an entirely new story about love, luck and literature."

Unmarriageable simmers with accounts of delicious Pakistani food, to set readers' mouths watering. Of course, cooking is a big part of Pakistani culture, but Soniah wasn't always such a fan, and her path to making a perfect aloo gosht was a rocky one.

So, over to Soniah...

Oxford University Press Pakistan book fair

The annual month-long Oxford Book Fair, organized by Oxford University Press (OUP), is running until 7 November at Oxford bookshops in cities throughout Pakistan. The much-awaited yearly event always draws a large number of visitors.  The selection of books featured includes both locally published and imported children's books, English Language Teaching material, reference books, and school and higher education textbooks.

For the general reader, there are non-fiction titles on international affairs, politics, history, anthropology, women’s studies, art, and literature.

Biographies and memoirs of prominent Pakistani personalities are being showcased.

Oxford’s hallmark English and bi-lingual dictionaries and thesauruses are available at special, reduced prices.

Oxford University Press Pakistan launches piracy awareness song

Oxford University Press Pakistan (OUP) believes book piracy poses a major threat to the local book publishing industry and is hence actively involved in efforts to curb this menace in Pakistan.

As a part of its continuous Copyright Awareness programme, OUP launched the video of the song Lafz written, composed, and performed by the singer and social activist, Shehzad Roy. The song was launched at an intellectual property training workshop for judicial members organised by multiple interested agencies within Pakistan.

Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) travels to London

Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director of Oxford University Press, Pakistan (OUP), has just announced in Karachi that to celebrate 70 years of Pakistan’s creation, Pakistan’s biggest literary event, the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), which her company produces, will be launched in London on 20 May 2017 at a prestigious arts centre, the Southbank Centre, as part of their Alchemy festival – an annual festival celebrating the rich cultural relationship between the UK and South Asia.

Pirated books recovered from a book binding unit / printing press in Lahore

In a recent raid carried out at a book binding unit / printing press in Lahore around 17,500 pirated copies of Oxford University Press (OUP) textbooks were seized. The raid was conducted by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) Lahore in conjunction with OUP Pakistan. The unit / press was allegedly involved in the printing of around 10,000 unbound; 2,200 finished; and 5,000 jackets of pirated versions of OUP textbooks including New Oxford Modern English, New Countdown Maths, New Oxford Primary Science, New Syllabus Primary Mathematics, and New Oxford Progressive English Readers.   

OUP organises its first digital learning roadshow in Pakistan

Yesterday, 21 February, Oxford University Press Pakistan (OUP) organised its first Digital Education Roadshow at the head office in Karachi. The event was held as part of OUP’s search for business partners who can provide cutting-edge solutions that contribute to OUP’s vision of enhancing learning through quality digital resources.

Karachi Literature Festival travels to London

To celebrate 70 years of Pakistan’s creation, Pakistan’s biggest literary event, the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) produced by Oxford University Press (OUP), will be launched in London on 20 May 2017 at the Southbank Centre, as part of their annual Alchemy festival. KLF London promises to be a vibrant celebration of Pakistani literature and arts, providing a fantastic opportunity for Londoners to gain an insight into the country’s complex history and culture.

Karachi Winners

The winners of the three literary prizes awarded at the Karachi Literary Festival have been announced.  

The winners for the Peace Prize sponsored by the German Embassy / Consulate:

1^st Prize Mecca by Ziauddin Saddar

1^st Prize The Ahmadis and the politics of religious exclusion in Pakistan by Ali Usman Qasmi

2^nd Prize Conflict management and vision for a secular Pakistan by Moonis Ahmar

3^rd Prize Delhi by Heart by Raza Rumi

The winner for the Fiction Prize sponsored by the French Embassy:

Survival Tips for Lunatics by Shandana Minhas

The winner for Nonfiction Prize sponsored by Coca Cola: 

Ottoman Turkey, Ataturk, and Muslim South Asia, Perspectives, Perceptions, and Responses, by M. Naeem Qureshi

Karachi Literature Festival, 2015

The Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) was launched in March 2010 and has been such a resounding success the organisers have recently added two sister events to their calendar, the Lahore and Islamabad Literature Festivals.

This momentum reflects the depth of Pakistan’s historical, literary, and cultural roots, and the great desire and energy throughout the whole country to seek knowledge, understanding, and creative growth.

KLF 2015, to be held this weekend, will bring together and celebrate authors writing in diverse languages, genres, and traditions. It will feature debates, discussions, lectures, mushaira, (traditional Pakistani poetry slams), a book fair, book launches, readings, signings, comedy, satire, theatre, music, and children’s sessions such as storytelling, puppetry, painting, singing, and creative movement.

Three literary prizes will be awarded during the Festival:

The KLF Coca-Cola Prize goes to the best non-fiction title originally written in English by a Pakistani or Pakistan-origin foreign national, published anywhere worldwide, and it comes with a prize of PKR 200,000.

The KLF Peace Prize, which comes with a prize of Euros 4000, is a joint project of the KLF, the Consulate General of Germany in Karachi, and the Embassy of Germany in Islamabad. It goes to a fiction or non-fiction title that promotes peace, tolerance, and international understanding, published anywhere worldwide in any language translated into English, and written by a Pakistani or a Pakistani-origin foreign national residing anywhere worldwide, or any foreign national who is a resident of Pakistan.

The KLF Embassy of France Prize promotes fiction originally written in English. The author, who must be a Pakistani or a Pakistani-origin foreign national residing anywhere worldwide, of the best novel or short story collection, published anywhere worldwide or self-published, wins an official invitation for a fully-sponsored visit to the Paris Book Fair.

If you are in Karachi, KLF will be held at the Beach Luxury Hotel on 6, 7, and 8 February. There’s no need to register in advance: just turn up. It’s free to attend.