From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History of modern literature
The early modern period
16th century in literature | 17th century in literature
European literature in the 18th century
1700s | 1710s | 1720s | 1730s | 1740s | 1750s | 1760s | 1770s | 1780s | 1790s | 1800s
Modern Literature, 19th century
1800s | 1810s | 1820s | 1830s | 1840s | 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s
Modern Literature, 20th century
Modernism | Structuralism | Deconstruction | Poststructuralism | Postmodernism | Post-colonialism | Hypertext fiction
1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s
Modern Literature in Europe
European literature
Modern Literature in the Americas
American literature | Argentine literature | Brazilian literature | Canadian literature | Colombian literature | Cuban literature | Jamaican literature | Mexican literature | Peruvian writers
Australasian Literature
Australian literature | New Zealand literature
Modern Asian Literature
Modern Asian Literature | Chinese literature | Indian literature | Literature of Pakistan | Kannada literature |Tamil literature | Hindi literature | Urdu literature | Indian writing in English | Bengali literature | Marathi literature | Malayalam literature | Japanese literature | Vietnamese literature
African Literature
African literature | Nigerian literature | South African literature
Other topics
History of theater | History of science fiction | History of ideas | Intellectual history | Literature by nationality

Pakistani literature, that is, the literature of Pakistan, as a distinct literature came into being when Pakistan gained its nationhood as a sovereign state in 1947. The common and shared tradition of Urdu literature and English literature of India was inherited by the new state. Over a period of time, a body of literature unique to Pakistan has emerged in nearly all major Pakistani languages, including Urdu, English, Punjabi, Balochi, Pushto and Sindhi.

The nature of Pakistani literature soon after independence aroused controversy among writers due to its being centred heavily on the negative events related to the India-Pakistan partition. According to Gilani Kamran (GC University), Pakistani literature was expected to take a new direction along with the new state of Pakistan at this point, but did not immediately meet this expectation.

Saadat Hassan Manto (1912-1955), a prominent writer of short stories of the South Asia, produced great literature out of the events relating to the India-Pakistan independence. The literature, which came out of the period that followed, is considered to have been progressive in its tone and spirit. According to several critics it had not only evolved its own identity, but also had played a significant role in documenting the hardships and hopes of Pakistan in the latter part of the 20th century.

• Arts and Literature in Pakistan
• Pakistani poetry
• Postcolonial literature
• Books and Publishing in Pakistan
• Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
• Pakistani fiction in English
• Progressive Writers' Movement

• Kamran, Gilani, 2004, Pakistan Literature: Evolution & trends
• Pakistani Literature: The Contemporary English Writers edited by Alamgir Hashmi (New York: World University Service, 1978; Islamabad: Gulmohar Press, 1987) (2nd ed.). ISBN 0-00-500408-X (OCLC #19328427; LC Card #87931006)
• A Dragonfly in the Sun: An Anthology of Pakistani Writing in English, edited by Muneeza Shamsie (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 1997). ISBN 0-19-577784-0
• Leaving Home: Towards a New Millennium: A Collection of English Prose by Pakistani Writers, edited by Muneeza Shamsie (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2001). ISBN 0-19-579529-6
• Post Independence Voices in South Asian Writings, edited by Alamgir Hashmi, Malashri Lal & Victor Ramraj (Islamabad: Alhamra, 2001). ISBN 969-516-093-X
• Rahman, Tariq. 1991. A History of Pakistani Literature in EnglishLahore: Vanguard Publishers (Pvt) Ltd.

• Pakistani literature at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
• Critical notes on Pakistani literature
• Bibliography of Alamgir Hashmi

This literature-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This Pakistan-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.