Ten Splendid Novels On Karachi

Karachi, the capital of Sindh is the largest city of Pakistan, being the largest city with people of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds it has seen golden era as well as the darkest periods of time, both politically and socially. However, Karachi even today is known as city of lights and the heart of Sindh.

Though there are different lingual and cultural groups in Karachi and each group loves the city in it's own way. Many writers have written about this mega city of our time and glorified Karachi for being what it is. Here is a list of some novels written on Karachi.

(1) The Prisoner By Omar Shahid Hamid:

The Prisoner is the debut novel of a cop-cum-writer Omar Shahid Hamid published in 2013, by Pan Macmillian, it is spread over 350 pages. The story careens through the streets of Karachi, taking the reader into an all too real world of jihadis, corrupt police officers, and bloodthirsty political henchmen – all placed together in a city where no one is quite what they seem.

(2) The Party Worker By Omar Shahid Hamid: 

This Omar's third novel followed by The Prisoner and The Spinner's Tale, this novel was published in 2017, published by Pan Macmillan. When a Jewish woman is killed on the steps of the Natural History Museum in New York, disparate lives are thrown together for one purpose: to bring about the downfall of the Don, the uncrowned king of Karachi. The Party Worker explores the Machiavellian politics of Pakistan's busiest city, where friends come bearing bullets, and enemies can wait patiently for decades before striking.

(3) Karachi You're Killing Me By Saba Imtiaz:

 Karachi, You're Killing Me! is comedy crime-thriller novel by the Pakistani journalist-writer Saba Imtiaz. This was Saba's debut novel, and it published by India's Random House in 2014. The novel is spread over 270 pages and it is story of a female journalist Ayesha, working for paper in Karachi, while Indian movie Noor was adapted from this novel.

(4) The Karachi Deception By Shatrujeet Nath: 

Shatrujeet Nath's this novel was published in 2016 by Rupa Publication and it is spread over 231 pages. This is a suspense thriller novel and the story revolves around three commandos of Indian Army, who are sent on special mission in Karachi. Set in the world of covert operations, where double-crossing and diabolical mind games are the norm, The Karachi Deception will keep you hooked till the very end.

(5) The Curse of Mohan Jo Daro By Maha Khan Philps:

Maha Khan Phillips is a multiple award-winning financial journalist, and the author of Beautiful from This Angle and The Mystery of the Aagnee Ruby. She grew up in Karachi, Pakistan. She has a bachelors degree in Politics and International Relations and a masters in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent at Canterbury. This is her second novel published in 2016, by Pan Macmillan and is spread on 450 pages. Though the novel is about Mohan Jo Daro, but Maha takes her readers in different times, while the main character Nadia, who has come to find her lost sister Layla, who is an archaeologist, stays in Karachi and finds a camp of a destructive secret society in Lyari that is trying to grab the magical powers of the ruler of Mohan Jo Daro, so that this group could rule the world.

(6) Our Lady of Alice Bhatti By Mohammed Hanif:

This is the second novel of renowned Pakistani novelist Mohammed Hanif, published in 2011 by Jonathan Cape and the novel is on 240 pages. Filled with wit, colour and pathos, Our Lady of Alice Bhatti is a glorious story of second chances, thwarted ambitions and love in unlikely places, set in the febrile streets of downtown Karachi.

(7) The 786 Cybercafe By Bina Shah:

Bina Shah's this novel was published in 2004 by Alhamra Publishing. Karachi isn't always kind to dreamers, but Jamal's plan to open a cybercafé on Tariq Road, the heart of the sprawling Pakistani port city, is one that is sure to succeed. With the help of his technically gifted brother Abdul and his best friend, the ferociously bearded Yasir, Jamal conceives a place where everyone will be able to access vistas of information, communication, and technology - and what's more, they'll be paying him to do it.

(8) A Season For Martyrs By Bina Shah:

This novel was published in 2014 by HarperCollins and is on 290 pages. Ali Sikandar, a journalist is assigned to cover the arrival of Benazir Bhutto, the opposition leader who has returned home to Karachi after eight years of exile to take part in the presidential race.

(9) The Spinner's Tale By Omar Shahid Hamid: 

This is the second novel of Omar published in 2015, by Pan Macmillan, containing 310 pages. This is the account based on events and characters involved in the kidnapping of the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was murdered in Karachi in 2002, by an extremist group.

(10 ) In  The City By The Sea By Kamila Shamsie:

 This novel by Kamila Shamsie was published in 1998 and in 2004 by Bloomsbury and the story is spread over 215 pages. Set in a land ruled by an oppressive military regime, this eloquent, charming and quietly political novel vividly recreates the confusing world of a young boy on the edge of adulthood, and beautifully illustrates the transformative power of the imagination. It is story of 11 year old boy Hassan.

However, there are some novels in Urdu and Sindhi like Char Darvesh Aur Aik Kachwa, Watan Jin Wisaryo and others that are set in Karachi.