Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
Posted on: January 30, 2023 | 
| 中文
Book cover and Asghar Nadeem Syed, the author
If you have grown up in the 1980s, discussions about the Martial Law regime were part of your breakfast. Asghar Nadeem Syed’s latest novel, Jahanabad ki Galiyan, would be the next best thing for you. A fusion of fact and fiction, the novel presents a true picture of what happened after the fateful July ‘77 coup. Mostly unaware of what was going behind closed doors, the takeover fundamentally altered Pakistan’s trajectory. Living in times when the press was controlled, Jahanabad ki Galiyan is an amalgamation of history, autobiography, politics and fiction. It is like reading a newspaper, but at times it is also a search for identity.
Back cover of the book
From one of the best television drama writers of our times, Asghar Nadeem Syed has come up with a gem. From a writer who has classic television serials like Pyaas, Chand Girhan, Nijaat, Hawaien and Ghulam Gardish to his credit, Jahanabad ki Galiyan (JKG) takes you to the good old days of television. Considered a master at building characters and depicting sufferings of a common man, Asghar Nadeem Syed continued with the same writing style he is famous for. With cleverly created plots, real-life characters, elaborate settings and the agony of the Zia regime, he highlights the damage that was done by the Zia regime.
JKG is a story of an unnamed poet/translator who lived in the system that collapsed after the army take-over. Separated from his family, the protagonist was forced to leave the country with no hope of immediate return. The world was fast changing by the late ‘70s, for neighboring Iran and Afghanistan were convulsed by political turmoil. USA and USSR were competing to further their hold in the region. If the revolution by Khomeini’s supporters and invasion of Afghanistan by the USSR increased tension in the region, the hanging of elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Pakistan caused turbulence at home. Syed has mastered the description of Lahore of 1979. One could visualize the poets, journalists and writers congregated at the Pak Tea house, deep in discussion regarding the death of an elected leader.
Pak Tea House, Lahore
The poet, along with many others, was arrested days after the coup and transferred to the Shahi Qila. Many of the prisoners were sent in to exile to England, and the excuse given was the hijacking of a PIA aircraft in 1981. Hence began the London chapter of the main protagonist’s life. Considered a hub for poets, writers and exiled politicians, the years in London cover most of the novel. The writing casts a spell on the reader for he describes the establishment of an Urdu Markaz in 1981 in London, the colorful company of exiled politicians, the return of the future Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1986 and bringing out a newspaper. While making both ends meet for most literary figures was a constant struggle, the politicians in exile had no such financial issues. They enjoyed all the luxuries of life, booze, food and women. The story introduces characters like Solangi, Jatoi, Chaudhry and Rizvi, who made the protagonist’s stay in London memorable.
Carnaby Street, London, in the 1980s
Forced to leave an infant son and a wife back home, the poet tried to reconnect several times with them, but could not. Time and distance played their part and he found substitutes, first in Jasmine, who had a son to support, and later with Deepti, a Bengali Hindu Kathak dancer. This was happening in the backdrop of Benazir Bhutto's return to politics in Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan in 1986
Syed’s narrative technique takes the reader back and forth, and displays his grip on the subject. He also describes the rise and fall of ‘communism’ in South Asia, as well as the reality behind Partition. He describes how the Indians settled in the UK in the 40s, and what made Pakistanis follow twenty years later. He describes how the Indians and Pakistani lived amicably in the UK of the ‘80s, which resembled united India of yore, where Hindus and Muslims had coexisted peacefully. Syed also highlights the problems faced by South Asians who wanted the good life but with easy money. Brides were sold and drug trafficking caught on, more so during the military regime as it became accessible from war-torn Afghanistan.
A picture of Tipu Hijacking of a PIA plane in 1981
During the Zia period, unlimited funds were granted to madrassahs (religious schools focusing on theocracy) and criticism was not tolerated. Asghar Nadeem Syed, a teacher by profession, himself had to suffer for being a critic of the Martial Law of 1979. 80 teachers from government colleges were forcefully transferred from Lahore to far flung areas. Since he had visited India multiple times and spent time in England, this makes his experiences more realistic in his writing.
Name: Jahan Abad Ki Galiyan
Writer: Asghar Nadeem Syed
Publisher: Sang-e-Meel, Lahore
ISBN: 9693534786296pp.
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