When History Speaks in Fiction

Can fiction discuss the histories we inherit, recover forgotten perspectives, and give voice to stories that continue to shape our present?

Literature has the power to revisit the past, question dominant narratives, and explore the complex relationship between power, identity and resistance. Through historical imagination and contemporary political realities, novels can bring distant events closer to us, revealing how the struggles of one era continue to echo through another.

In Bint-e-Dahir, the story of the daughter of Raja Dahir of Sindh opens a window into a pivotal and contested chapter of South Asian history, inviting reflection on memory, identity and the ways historical narratives are told and remembered. In Bhaag Bhari, the novelist turns towards the contemporary world, confronting the human consequences of nuclear war.

Join us for a conversation with Safdar Zaidi, the novelist, and the translator of his works into Pashto, as we explore the power of fiction to revisit the past, confront the present, and open new perspectives on the histories and identities that shape South Asia.

About the Speakers:

• Safdar Zaidi
  (Novelist, Author of ‘Bint-e-Dahir,’ ‘Bhaag Bhari,’ ‘Cheeni jo Meethi naa thi,’ ‘Gwadar Ke Surkh Kekray’ and ‘Zard Qaidi’)
• Feroz Khan Afridi
  (Pashto & Urdu Writer, Poet, Columnist, Translator of ‘Bint-e-Dahir & ‘Bhaag Bhari into Pashto)
• Dr. Aamir Butt
  (Dermatologist, Historian and Author)
• Dr. Salahuddin Derwesh
  (Professor, Author, Critic — Moderator)

This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.

The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad.
Click here for Google Maps Location