Children books author Ishtiaq Ahmed passes away
He was going to board a plane at the Jinnah International Airport when he suffered a heart attack
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KARACHI:
One of the most prolific Urdu fiction writers of Pakistan, Ishtiaq Ahmed, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 74.
According to reports, Ahmed was to board a plane at the Jinnah International Airport when he suffered a heart attack. The author lived in Lahore and was visiting the port city these days.
Ahmed penned around 773 fiction books for children, which is said to be the highest number of books written by an author in any language. His work mostly focused on detective stories. Ahmed created famous fictional characters such as Inspector Jamshed, Inspector Kamran Mirza and Shoki Biradran, who dominated the reader’s mind through the fascinating stories. He got fame and appreciation of the readers for his writings on these characters.
Born in 1941, Ahmed wrote his first novel in 1973. He was one of the most read authors during the 70s and 90s. Ahmed also served as the editor of a children’s magazine, ‘Bacho ka Islam’.
“His stories focused on countering wrongdoings that happen in society,” said one of his fans, 28-year-old Yasir Waqar, adding that Ahmed was a writer who would create a world of imagination for readers. Referring to Ahmed’s talent and dedication for his work, Farrukh Izhar, a poet and journalist, said that Ahmed was so fast in penning down a piece that no one could match his speed. “It is quite a difficult job to write for children,” Izhar said adding, “The writer has to ensure that the humour and message are kept intact throughout the piece. Ahmed was a master at it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.
One of the most prolific Urdu fiction writers of Pakistan, Ishtiaq Ahmed, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 74.
According to reports, Ahmed was to board a plane at the Jinnah International Airport when he suffered a heart attack. The author lived in Lahore and was visiting the port city these days.
Ahmed penned around 773 fiction books for children, which is said to be the highest number of books written by an author in any language. His work mostly focused on detective stories. Ahmed created famous fictional characters such as Inspector Jamshed, Inspector Kamran Mirza and Shoki Biradran, who dominated the reader’s mind through the fascinating stories. He got fame and appreciation of the readers for his writings on these characters.
Born in 1941, Ahmed wrote his first novel in 1973. He was one of the most read authors during the 70s and 90s. Ahmed also served as the editor of a children’s magazine, ‘Bacho ka Islam’.
“His stories focused on countering wrongdoings that happen in society,” said one of his fans, 28-year-old Yasir Waqar, adding that Ahmed was a writer who would create a world of imagination for readers. Referring to Ahmed’s talent and dedication for his work, Farrukh Izhar, a poet and journalist, said that Ahmed was so fast in penning down a piece that no one could match his speed. “It is quite a difficult job to write for children,” Izhar said adding, “The writer has to ensure that the humour and message are kept intact throughout the piece. Ahmed was a master at it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.