Mirza Athar Baig is a Pakistani fiction writer, scholar, playwright and expert on Post-Colonial Philosophy. He is chairman of the Philosophy Department at Government College University in Lahore. His fiction works includes the novel Ghulam Bagh (The Slave Garden) which is considered one of the central works of literature in the Urdu language.
The novel has found a loyal readership outside the literary circles, as well, and has in fact achieved cult status, so much so that some of the readers have named themselves after the characters in the novel. Three editions of Ghulam Bagh have been published in Pakistan within two years.
In addition to Ghulam Bagh, a collection of his short stories, titled Beh Afsana (The Non-story) was published in 2008. His second novel, Sifar se aik tak (From zero to one) has recently been published and is distributed to major cities in Pakistan. In July 2010, the DAWN newspaper published a review of Sifar se aik tak commenting on its popularity with the Pakistani youth, which Baig's literature is reputed to generate in general.
Ghulam Bagh, has been described as the best thing in Urdu literature since Aag Ka Darya and Udaas Naslain. Conversely, it has also been described as the confusing rants of someone who has spent too much time trying to teach philosophy to Punjabi students. The novel has found a loyal readership outside the literary circles, as well, and has in fact achieved cult status, so much so that some of the readers have named themselves after the characters in the novel.
Athar Baig has also written several television plays, including Daldal, Hissar, Khwab Tamasha and Nashaib.
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