Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: America that has always been painted either black or white by the rest of the world as well as the context that how lives of many Pakistani Americans have been affected after incident of 9/11, such was the crux of novel Taoos Faqat Rung by Neelam Ahmed Bashir, which was launched on Thursday.

On the occasion, many renowned writers and poets depicted the novel as a compilation of their own thoughts. Each of them sketched a beautiful picture of the novel’s story which when read out was met with cheer and applause.

Renowned writer Humera Ishfaq said that the author has tried to urge the reader that as he/she reads the climax they can actually feel a chill running down their spine, as well as anguish.

She said that the central character of the story is Murad, who belongs to a broken home and loses his job and friends right after this tragic incident of 9/11.

“His life takes a whole new turn as the country he considered his home since birth remains no more for him. Even the people around are both wary and skeptical of Muslims a lot more than before,” she explained.

Humera Ishfaq highlighted that the land of opportunities chooses to close all its gates on him and here he comes across a Guyanese family that welcomes him with open arms.

“Murad’s life and novel both take a new turn. Various aspects of American mixed race society unfold in a mysterious and uncomplicated fashion,” she recalled.

Fateh Muhammad Malik said that Neelam Ahmed Bashir had left no stone unturned to show a very realistic grey side of America. He said that she really tried to explain the love Murad feels for a girl. “It’s almost like the kind of relationship the US and Pakistan has,” he said.

Fateh Muhammad Malik said that the novel was about how shalwar kamiz wearing women were seen in the US after the tragic incident.

Neelam said on the occasion that she had spent around 40 years in New York when a large number of Pakistanis were living there.

“I was an inherited writer. Being Pakistani American, I always thought that something should be written differently and finally managed to write Taoos Faqat Rung that was purely a reflection of my thoughts,” she recalled.

She said that social surroundings were very integral for each of us, adding that to to know about the world is also very important.

Published in Daily Times, April 13^th 2018.