Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Salman Shad
Ashraf Shad
Ashraf Shad’s Son Salman Celebrated 21st Birthday
Ashraf Shad, the
prominent journalist, novelist and poet was on a short visit to Sydney for his
son Salman's 21st birthday and to do research for his new novel "The Judge". He
also went to Fiji where he spent time in different Pacific islands and visited
the University of South Pacific and the Supreme Court of Fiji. "I am creating a
fictional country that would resemble a Pacific nation but its politics would be
similar to Pakistan's and Fiji was an ideal place for the purpose," said Ashraf
Shad while talking at Sada-e-Watan house Macquarie Fields Sydney. "I want to to
write about the judicial dramas in Pakistan but I cant write it in Pakistan's
true setting due to contempt laws and a new country is needed to be developed
for my plot," said Ashraf Shad who wrote his last two novels 'Wazeer-e-Azam' and
Sadr-e-Mohtaram depicting Pakistan's political scenes. His first novel Be-Watan,
written in Australian setting won the prestigious Prime Minister literary award
from the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1998. He remained the Head of SBS Radio
Sydney's weekly Urdu service for almost 15 years and got an early retirement
this year due to his work commitment with the UAE University and now lives in Al
Ain, a city close to Dubai.
Mr.Arif Sadiq, the Secretary General Urdu Society of Australia, gave a dinner
reception for him that was attended by society's President Dr. Shabbir Haider
and all other office bearers and many of Ashraf's close friends. Another
reception was also given by Dr. Kausar Jamal and Javed Rana that was also
attended by Sydney's major literary figures. Ashraf Shad may be contacted at
ashrafshad@hotmail.com
