Tariq Ashraf Was Courageous Writer And Publisher: Speakers

 The 27th Death Anniversary of courageous Sindhi short story writer and publisher Tariq Ashraf was held at Dr. N.A. Baloch Hall of Sindhi Language Authority of Friday, in which writers including Madad Ali Sindhi, Naseer Mirza, Aziz Gopang, Taj Joyo and others participated and hailed the efforts and courageous role of Tariq Ashraf for promoting Sindhi literature. They also paid glowing tribute to Tariq Ashraf for introducing and promoting new writers. 

When Sindhi literature was facing tough time during One Unit and Zia dictatorship, Tariq stood up against that and started publishing a literary journal "Suhni" for which he was jailed many times, claimed the speakers.

They siad that Tariq Ashraf  suffered jail and mental torture under Zia's martial law and Bhutto regime for espousing the cause of Sindh in his literary magazine Suhni which was banned by PPP regime. 

It was also claimed that Tariq was a man of principles and despite of facing so many difficulties he never compromised over his principles.

Tariq Ashraf was the owner of Suhni printing press, editor-in-chief of Suhni Literary Journal, while his novel Meero Dharial and Jail Dairy are other notable works. It is also claimed by certain Sindhi writers that Tariq introduced great Sindhi short story writer Amar Jaleel by publishing his stories and even published Suhni's special edition called "Amar Jaleel Number" to promote him as a short story writer.

While it is often claimed that Suhni was banned for publishing Amar Jaleel's controversial short story "Sard Lash Jo Safar" and Tariq was barred for publishing it, while the writer rather standing on side of his publisher foresook him and ran away to Islamabad.