KARACHI: Mazee, the debut novel of young writer Zeeshan Qamar was launched at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi.
The ceremony was presided over by renowned poet and writer Prof Sehar Ansari.
Speaking on the occasion, Sehar Ansari said that it was encouraging to see new writers exploring fresh approaches to novel writing.
He said that Mazee possesses an important quality of fiction -readability which is evident from the very beginning.
He noted that the novel explores themes including love, philosophy, artificial intelligence and human moral responsibility.
He described the novel as a successful literary creation and congratulated Mr Qamar on his work.
The chairman of the Arts Council’s Literary Committee (Fiction), Akhlag Ahmed, said that Mazee beautifully portrays the environment, social life, language, customs and social attitudes of Orangi Town.
He observed that the opening portion of the novel presents a strong depiction of Orangi Town, although the shift of the story to Sri Lanka, Bangkok and the United States somewhat reduces the impact of its original setting.
Speaking on the occasion, author Zeeshan Qamar said that the evening was not merely the launch of his novel but also a celebration of his identity, his past and the emotions that had shaped his personality and writing.
He said that the major inspirations behind Mazee included Orangi Town, the time he spent with his grandparents and the experiences he gained by observing the lives of ordinary people.
Orangi Town, he added, gave him the opportunity to observe and understand ordinary people closely. Sitting at tea stalls, listening to people from different backgrounds and perspectives, and understanding their experiences became an important part of his creative journey.
He expressed his gratitude to Arts Council President Ahmed Shah for organising such a memorable event and for providing opportunities to emerging writers.
Ambreen Haseeb Amber, Zaib Azkar Hussain, Nasira Zuberi and Shakeel Khan also spoke.