Over dinner sometime last week, conversation turned to an apparent lack of reading culture in Pakistan. Participants questioned if anybody went to the bookstores any more, and why Urdu bazaars in large cities remained largely deserted until the school seasons came (though I was told Lahore now has some nice book stores). All the talk about developing reading habits in children reminded me of one of my favorite authors from childhood: Ishtiaq Ahmed.
Before there were J.R.R.Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Hardy Boys or even Archies Comics in my life, there was Ishtiaq Ahmed: a brilliant mastermind who authored hundreds, if not thousands, of suspense thriller novels in Urdu for kids during the 1970s, 80’s and into the 1990s. (I am told the actual number is closer to 400).
It is hard not to say that I grew up wanting to be like Mahmood, Farooque aur Farzana, the three main characters in his most famous series: Inspector Jamshed. Many of us will remember owning crates full of Ishtiaq Ahmed books – kids in my mohalla even organized a book club where we loaned our Ishtiaq Ahmed books to each other for 25 paisas per novel.
Ishtiaq Ahmed was one hell of a prolific writer. His books were published at a rate faster than I could save money from my lunch allowance to buy them (hence the need for the Mohalla library!). My mamoon swore by Ibn-e-Safi’s Imran series, but Ishtiaq Ahmed was the one who got me hooked onto reading. I remember reading his Khaas (special) novels with more than 2000-3000 pages until late into the night. He was among the most effective and successful Jasoosi novelists in Pakistan.
Even though his detective teams also included Inspector Kamran and the Shoki brothers, it was the Inspector Jamshed team (and the series built around their escapades to protect world peace) that captured the imagination of several generations in Pakistan. The series featured a detective, inspector Jamshed, who solved crimes with the help of his three children, Mehmood, Farooq & Farzana. Inspector Jameshed hated evil and in his crime-fighting he had not only his children to help, but also a retired army officer, Khan Rehman, and Professor Daod.
If I remember correctly, Mehmood was always the smart one, the trio’s leader with brilliant ideas, Farooque was the street smart, witty one, and Farzana always knew when danger was lurking around the corner. And the evil? Jaral, who appeared in several novels, was the number one enemy. Inspector Jamshed’s enemies were not just after money or power – they were morally corrupt and somehow always had some external forces helping them in their evil plans. It has been said that Ishtiaq Ahmed was not very subtle in disguising his resentment towards states or actors that he deemed anti-Islamic.
Ishtiaq Ahmed created characters that were larger than life – but they were inspirational for young men and women of that age and time. Inspector Jamshed, Mehmood, Farooq and Fazana were heroes, who were smart, witty, brave, and fought for the righteousness. Ishtiaq Ahmed wrote beautifully in a language that many now do not study for its poetry or prose. His contribution to Urdu literature, unfortunately, has not been acclaimed in a deserving manner, but his fans remember him well.
Statements like “Inspector Jamshed kee Uqaabee nigahon ney mauqay kee nazakat ko bhaanp liyaa” are a distant memory, but still a charming one. Maybe my kids will also dig through my stash of Ishtiaq Ahmed novels like I went through my mother collection of Pakeeza digests. They will find lots of incredible stories. And they will learn why I love the Urdu language.
For the uninitiated and the fans, a website advertises that you can buy his novel there. Alternatively, contact Feroze Sons in Lahore.
Dr. Bilal Zuberi is Vice President of Product Development at GEO2 Technologies in Boston (MA), USA. See more at Bilal’s blog: BZNotes.
i m a senior writer of children literature.mr ishtiaq ahmed is the best novelist in children literature.
I was a huge fan of Ishtiaq Ahmed’s books, before graduating to Ibn-Safi’s Imran & Inspector Afradi books during 10th grade. This definitely made for an exciting childhood. I would feel sorry for any kids who are missing these classics.
[quote post=”266″]In the list of steps you have forgotten one great writer who comes between Ishtiyaq Ahmed and Mazhar Kaleem and he is Naseem Hijazi.[/quote]
I think there are many other ways to learn Islamic history and people should look at more traditional religious text but I don’t disagree with your statement.
[quote post=”266″]No disrespect meant, but with him you probably have most of your Muslim history wrong.
I do hope people do not learn their history, Muslim or otherwise, from works of fiction and movies! [/quote]
I think you’re quite wrong. He was strict in representing the correct history even though it was fiction. For example, even in smaller history books you’ll find writers making baseless stories about Mohammad bin Qasim being in love with Raja Dahir’s wife or daughter (I think his wife). But, there’s no proof, and Hijazi keeps away from that. Are you learing your “Islamic history” from Oxford University Press??
Thank you for bringing back such happy memories of Mahmud,farooq Ferzana…I went to Pakistan earlier this year after 9 yrs and did notice that kids these days avoid reading like plague. I love books and brought back a lot of great books with me. i would love to read Ishtiaq Ahamd again if someone has a collection. I still remember “Begaal Mission” that was khaas number where all 3 teams come together with their chatpatay comments…”aut teeno ney cheek ker khaa “haieen” ” uss ney raan per haath mar ker kahaa “ooh” Happy reading you all.
i started reading Ishtiaq Ahmed back in 1985 when i was in Class III or IV in my school. i read all the 4 novels he published every month & ‘Khas Numbers’ after every six months. i still remember that i read his novels during my exams & covered the novel under my text books, jis par mujhe apni ammi se daant bhi parti thi! i learned a lot from his novels specially Hadees Mubarak at the start of each novel then his famous ‘Do Batein’ i love his Inspector Jamsheed series & khas nos. also like other series & in those days i waited every month for his novels which were avaialble every 20th of the month. my all summer vactions spended reading his novels. i missed those days v v much. i read Ishtiaq Ahmed till my intermediate then i was busy getting Engineering education. 2 or 3 years back go to a book shop where all the old books, novels available there i found a lot of novels & khas numbers. i was v happy & i lost in my child hood memories then i buy a no. of novels from there. now life is v busy these days & unfortuately we have no time to read this stuff but still if time permits then i will start reading Ishtiaq Ahmed again.
Muhammad Faisal Khan
Software Engineer