KARACHI: Ibn-e-Safi, who was born as Asrar Ahmed on 26th of July, 1928 (in the village of Nara, Allahabad District, U.P. India) and passed away 44-years ago here due to cancer on 26th July, 1980, was termed by Agatha Christie as the only original writer of detective novels in Urdu!
He belonged to that era when people proudly used to write BA with their names and for quite some time his affordable books were available in paisas and not in rupees.
That was the era sans internet or hundreds of channels, when life was not fast at all. Lying down and reading Ibn-e-Safi’s detective novels was one of the addictions masses were ‘suffering’ from.
There used to be tiny lending libraries in every mohalla (neighborhood) from where people used to borrow his books for a very tiny amount of money.
Characters like Faridi and assistant Hameed of his Jasoosee Dunya and Ali Imran PhD Oxon, hero of Imran Series ultimately became legends.
While Faridi is a sober character, Ali Imran (chief of secret service) for public was a handsome weirdo who is often found in Tiptop Night Club. His readers imagined themselves as Imran or Faridi.
Interestingly, most of the elitist/intellectuals of that era secretly used to read him but refused to admit that they also cherished his work.
Many homeless vagabonds too were fond of his works and it was a common sight to watch people reading his books while lying on footpaths. In case of an unfinished work, people used to wait eagerly for the next part.
His first work was published by weekly Shahid, edited by Aadil Rasheed. At that time he was studying in 7th class. Following the success of Jasoosi Dunya series (featuring Faridi in monthly detective novels), in 1955 he commenced Imran Series.
A couple of years later Ibn-e-Safi founded Asrar Publications (from Lalukhet area of Karachi). His works were simultaneously published both from Pakistan and India.
This scribe met a so-called script-writer who claimed that he used to write for Ibn-e-Safi when he was too ill to pen his work. It is possible because in at-least one of his books the reader feels that the magic of Ibn-e-Safi is missing.
Due to his popularity many pseudo intellectuals brought out their own Jasoosee Dunya and Imran Series. For instance, one called himself/herself N. Safi (این صفی) to befool the readers.
Since Ibn-e-Safi’s characters led jet-set lives, most of his readers were of the view that he too kept on moving all over the world. But during an interview he said something like: ‘I am not jehan-deeda (someone who had seen the world) but am palang-deeda (someone who had seen a lot of bed: or created the pieces lying on the bed)
Newspakistan.tv
