LAHORE, June 3: Urdu literature in Pakistan seems to be in a sorry state of affairs as books on ‘dry’ subjects such as economics are being sold in great numbers, says known short-story writer, columnist and social activist Hameed

Akhtar who turns 84 today (Wednesday).

Speaking to Dawn on Tuesday, the known literati said: “There was a time when the people would say that the Urdu language was in an abysmal state in India. But now it seems that its status in Pakistan is not much different.”

About his birthday, he said it was for the first time in his life that he had planned to celebrate the event publicly, otherwise, “it had always been a home affair”. He said, in fact, the city chapter of the Pakistan Progressive Writers Association of which he is a secretary general, had insisted on celebrating his birthday at Chopal – a meeting place of the literati at Nasser Bagh. The event will be celebrated around 7 pm.

He said the only birthday he had celebrated out of his home was in 1981 when he was in Kot Lakhpat Jail. “There were some 80 people with us in the jail like Mr I.A. Rehman, actor Muhammad Ali, Shoaib Hashmi and many others”. They were incarcerated when Gen Ziaul Haq ordered a general roundup before imposing the Provisional Constitution Order.

However, he said, President Pervez Musharraf’s rule is “the worst ever in every respect. The country is in absolute chaos now.”

Hameed Sahib, as he is affectionately known, said his claim to fame was a short-story writer. The first book he wrote was ‘Khal Khotri’ followed by a collection of short stories published under the title of ‘La Makan’. A number of other books are to his credit, ‘Rudad-i-Anjuman’ being one of them.