DefinePK

Abstract

Sayyeda Hasina Gul (1966) is a renowned Pashto poet, novelist, playwright, travelogue writer, and literary critic. She has also written numerous short stories, which were published in various magazines and journals. Unfortunately, due to unfavourable circumstances, she was unable to preserve many of her works, and a significant portion of her short stories have been lost over time. However, some (almost 45) were collected and published in her three short story collections, ‘Nimgarey Kitab’(2010) ,‘Da Ukhko Maarghaan’  (2015) and ‘Kesey Da Kusey’ (2025), all readily available today. These three collections demonstrate that Gul addressed a wide range of topics, focusing on themes relevant to the Pashto language, Pashtun society, and particularly Pashtun women. Gifted with a sharp intellect and keen observational skills, Gul was able to deeply analyse, notice, and evaluate every event, incident, and societal nuance around her. She skilfully captured these in her writing, employing a unique and captivating literary style. In today’s fast-paced world, it is often challenging for the average reader to delve into and fully explore all of Gul’s short stories in one sitting. This research article aims to provide readers with an analytical overview of the central themes present in Sayyeda Hasina Gul’s short story collection ‘Nimgarey Kitab’.