WiseSindh

                          (File Photo)  Renowned short story writer and novelist of sub-continent Taranum Raiz passed away at the age of 58 due to covid-19. She was author of 30 books approximately on various range of topics including research, short stories, novels and translation, she hailed from Kashmir. According to news reports Mrs. Raiz passed away at the age of 58, few days after death of her husband Prof. Raiz Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University. She tested corona positive and was on ventilator from few days at Delhi hospital. Mrs. Raiz belonged to a well-learned political family of Kashmir. She was author of as many as 30 books both fiction and non-fiction. Some of her noted work includes: ‘Ajnabi Jazeeron Me (2015)’, ‘Barf Ashna Parinday (2009), ‘Mira Rakht-e-Safar (2008))’ and ‘Fareb-e-Khitta-e-Gul (2009)’. She was also a newscaster for All India Radio. While two Ph.d thesis on life and work of Taranum Raiz were written in Khasmir University and Bhop

                                                            (Title of Novel) While talking about novel in Urdu language some time ago; I had written that even Pakistani Urdu novel doesn’t match international standards of novel writing. One main feature that has always been missed out is the art of storytelling, while the Urdu novelists still follow the traditional style of narration. Some of my friends suggested me to read Syed Kashif Raza’s novel “Char Darvesh aur Aik Kachwa”, to some extent Kashif’s novel had new style of narration. However, I came across another Urdu novel named “Makli Meer Marg” by Ghafar Shahzad, published by Fiction House, Lahore in 2020. It contains 207 pages and mainly focuses on Sufi culture of Pakistan. The main character of this novel is Arslan Mansoor, an architect settled in America and visits Pakistan to attend an international conference on Makli, an ancient necropolis located in Sindh. Arslan Mansoor rather coming to Sindh stays at Lahore, as the wr