Public Issues of the Colonial era in the Light of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi's Short Stories

Abstract

The final phase of British colonial rule had a profound impact on Urdu literature, especially the short story genre, influencing it socially, politically, and economically. In start, these effects were less noticeable, but as the colonial era neared its end, Indian writers had become conscious enough to recognize the negative consequences of the colonial system around them. Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi observed this colonial period from a progressive perspective, and his stories reflect the suffering of the poor and middle classes—enslavement, loss of dignity, poverty, war, sexual violence, and the destructive effects of capitalism. This research paper highlights the issues faced by the people of India during the final stage of British colonial rule, as portrayed in the short stories of Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi.