DefinePK

Abstract

This study explores the tradition of resistance in the fiction of Zahida Hina, one of the most prominent contemporary voices in Urdu literature. Rooted in a strong intellectual and anti-colonial family background, Hina’s writings embody both defiance and innovation. Her short stories do not merely depict individual struggles but reflect broader political and social oppressions, particularly those shaped by military dictatorships, authoritarian regimes, and patriarchal structures in Pakistan and South Asia. By weaving together themes of political instability, social injustice, war, migration, and identity crisis, her narratives resonate with the lived realities of marginalized groups, especially women. Hina’s resistance is multidimensional: she critiques censorship, authoritarian politics, and religious orthodoxy, while simultaneously highlighting the silenced voices of women whose rights have been denied by both cultural norms and state policies. Her stories such as Bood-o-Nabood ka Aashob, Jism-o-Zubaan ki Maut se Pehle, Paniyon Par Behti Panah, and Manzil Hai Kahan Teri illustrate the suffering caused by imprisonment, war, forced migration, and gender-based violence. At the same time, they valorize characters who embody resilience, dignity, and unwavering commitment to freedom and justice. Zahida Hina also situates Pakistani resistance literature within a global tradition, drawing attention to universal struggles against tyranny, from Latin America to South Asia. Her rejection of the Pride of Performance award in 2006 epitomizes her lifelong ideological commitment. Thus, her fiction transcends the boundaries of storytelling to become an act of protest and a vehicle for social transformation. The study concludes that Zahida Hina’s short stories constitute a cornerstone of feminist and resistance literature in Urdu, articulating the collective conscience of a society under perpetual strain.