KARACHI: It is a myth that the young generation in Canada does not want to learn Urdu when in fact they are quite keen and it is laudable that the Pakistani expatriate community in Canada continues to maintain its links to Urdu literature but unfortunately there are many who are producing fake literary works.

These views were expressed by Canada-based poets and writers Ashfaq Hussain and Karamatullah Ghori at a literary sitting held here at the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu office on Saturday.

Introducing Mr Hussain to the attendees, Dr Fatema Hassan said he had so far brought out three poetry collections, penned six books on Faiz Ahmed Faiz and one on Ahmed Faraz.

Prof Sahar Ansari added: `When Mr Hussain was a student at Karachi University, he used to recite verses in tarannum and was an active member of the Karachi Arts Council. His thesis on Faiz Ahmed Faiz was published by Idara-iYadgar-i-Ghalib when I was its secretary. And thus began Mr Hussain`s lifelong affair with Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Rashid Ashraf, an enterprising young man who was instrumental in get-ting Karamatullah Ghori`s book Baar-i-Shanasaee published in Pakistan, was invited to introduce the former diplomat. He told the gathering that Mr Ghori brought out four poetry collections, a travelogue and a non-fiction work, Baar-i-Shanasaee, based on his reminiscences of notable personalities, while currently he was working on his memoirs whose title had more or less been decided as Rozgar-i-Safeer. He also spoke at length on how he managed the publishing of Baar-i-Shanasaee in Pakistan. `The book was originally published in India and I was curious as to why this was so. When I contacted Karamat sahib he told me that publishers were reluctant because of the straightforward content. However, I am happy to report that not only has the book been printed here but is now in its third reprint.

Fraudulent literary works One common theme that nearly every speaker touched upon was `fake` literary worl(s, especially the bool< Faiz Ahmed Faiz Beirut Mein, written by a Canadabased writer, Tasleem Ilahi Zulfi, which was published by the Pakistan Academy of Letters as part of Faiz Centenary Celebrations in 2011.Prof Sahar Ansari mentioned the book and how the whole hoax has been exposed in a book by Mr Hussain titled Faiz Beirut Main: Hageegat ya Fasana.

`When one reads the book by Tasleem Zulfi it seems that he taught Faiz everything! Mr Ghori also referred to the book in his talk: `It is commendable that Urdu communities are being established in foreign lands and connoisseurs of Urdu literature are engaging in literary pursuits and some of it is genuine but most are fake. I call them `dollar ke shayer aur dollar ke adeeb` This somehow needs to be stopped.` He was also quite critical of the forewords written for such books by some known literary per-sonalities. `After reading their prefaces, it seems the writer is either the next Ghalib or Faiz.

New generation and Urdu Mr Ghori dispelled the myth that the new generation was totally uninterested in Urdu. `About 10 years ago, I was working on a documentary regarding Urdu`s future in Canada.

And I discovered that the new generation was actually keen to learn Urdu and wanted connection with their culture but it was their parents who discouraged them. The parents fear that if their children do not know English then they will have limited job opportunities and it will have a bearing on their career prospects. But nothing can be further than the truth. The children will learn English anywaybecause that is the medium of instruction in their schools.

He said that there were numerous literary organisations in Canada but because of politics and factionalism many youngsters did not join them. He termed it `adab main chaudhrahat`.

Mr Hussain felt that even though numerous literary activities were happening in Canada `they are yet to achieve their distinctiveness. In the past 35 years, about 500 books in Urdu have been published in Canada of which one can say only 10 or 15 are any good.

Mr Hussain also recited his ghazals and nazms, including Mukammal Rai, Mujhe Saare Parinday Achchay Lagte Hain, Zooming and Mujhe Koi Yaad Kyun Karega. Mr Ghori also recited a few verses and a poem, Ghonsla.