[wp_ad_camp_1] Demise of Dr Enver Sajjad caused great loss to Urdu literature
By Zaib Azkaar Hussain
Karachi
Legendary short story writer, novelist, playwright and scholar Dr Enver Sajjad passed away in Lahore on Thursday evening.
His notable works of published fiction include masterpieces such as ‘Chauraha’ (collection of Urdu short stories), Ista’are’ (another collection of Urdu short stories),’Khushiyon Ka Baagh’ (an Urdu novel), ‘Janm Roop’ (another Urdu novel), ‘Neeli Notebook’ (an Urdu translation containing Vladimir Lernin’s memoirs), ‘Talaash-e-wujood’ (a collection of Urdu articles) and others.
In his short stories and novels, he rejected the dictatorships, inhuman treatment to weak, social and psychological exploitation of women and also exposed exploitation of masses at the hands of ruling elite, ruling parties and dictators. He had to face political victimization in the dictatorship of Zia era and was banned on PTV. He creative works are considered to be a reflection of resistance. Several of his stories and a novel ‘Khushiyon Ka Baagh’ are considered to be a strong voice against the exploitation on the part of military dictators who removed the elected governments and imposed a martial laws. His stories and fiction also targeted social taboos and negative social customs. In writing stories novels in Urdu he experienced a different style of storytelling and in a way challenged the formula based style of story writing. He was amongst the pioneers of modern story writers and even experienced publication of his paintings along his stories (in his collection titled ‘Ista’are’) to express the worth of his creativity on the one hand and to reflect his strong resistance against the negative forces he painted in his stories.
Born in 1935 in Lahore, Sajjad completed his higher studies in medicine from King Edward Medical College before heading out to the University of Liverpool for a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The sad demise of most modern writer Dr Enver Sajjad has caused a great loss to Urdu literature. He spent his final hours at his residence on Raiwind Lahore and breathed his last after a prolonged illness.Sajjad, a medical doctor, won his laurels as a symbolic short-story writer and novelist. He was a perfect arts performer and was considered to be an actor, painter, dancer, voice-over artist, teacher, trainer and patron to arts and culture. He also acted as mentor to those fond of acting and directing and many of them later emerged as famous artistes of their fields. Dr Enver Sajjad once chaired the Pakistan Arts Council Lahore. As an actor once he was nominated for a PTV award for his performance in an Urdu drama serial ‘Saba Aur Samandar’. Late Dr Enver Sajjad who passed away at the age of 84, is survived by his widow and a daughter.
He wrote a number of Urdu plays for Pakistan Television such as ‘Raat ka Pichla Pehar’, ‘Koyal’, ‘Picnic’ and ‘Yeh Zameen Meri Hai’ that targeted class-based social system and exploitation. After the privatisation of media in Pakistan, Sajjad became associated with a private channel where he was the head of the scriptwriting department.
He also worked for the scriptwriting department at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) and taught the students over there but he had to leave due to illness. He complained (while he was seriously ill) that no one had addressed his grievances. It was ironic that the legendary writer had to face great financial hardships at a time when he was suffering from illness.
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