Forum Pakistan

Husain, Intizar (1925-)
Writer. Intizar Husain is a novelist and short story writer in the Urdu language. Born near Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh, he was educated in Meerut, India, before migrating to Lahore, Pakistan, in 1947.
His earlier collections of stories Gali-Koche ('Streets and Alleyways', 1951) and Kankri ('Pebbles', 1955) are marked with nostalgia for the split country. His later works included the novels Basti ('Little Town', 1980) and Tazkire ('Lies', 1987), and collections of stories Akhiri Adami ('The Last Man', 1967), Shahr-i-Afsos ('Wretched Town', 1972), and Kachhwe ('Turtles', 1981). Mythological elements, parable-like plots, rich symbolism, allusions and allegories make his work difficult. Yet the writer had considerable influence on the younger generation of Urdu writers and contributed to the renovation of contemporary Urdu prose. Intizar Husain also has a collection of literary criticism to his credit: Alamat ka Zawal, 1983 ('The Decline of Symbols').

BIBLIOGRAPHY: R.A. Elizarova, A.S. Sukhochev, 'Pakistan's Progressive Writers', Tashkent, 1978 (in Russian); 'Urdu A/sana Riwayat aur Masail' (Urdu Short Story, Traditions and Problems), Compiled by N. Narang, Delhi, 1981; 'Naya Urdu A/sana' (The New Urdu Short Story), Compiled by G. Narang, Delhi, 1988.