Muhammad Asim Butt

Muhammad Asim Butt (Urdu: محمد عاصم بٹ) is an Urdu novelist, short story writer, translator, researcher, editor, critic and journalist. He has published one novel and two collections of short stories along with a number of books translated from English into Urdu and vice versa.

Butt also writes in English and has published Qissah Chahaar Darvaish (retelling of a classical tale of four saints in English).

Biography

Muhammad Asim Butt obtained a master's degree in philosophy from Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan. He started his career as a journalist but soon shifted to the development sector as human rights activist. Most recently, he is working with Pakistan Academy of Letters, Govt. of Pakistan as Editor of quarterly Adabiyaat, a reputed literary magazine. He lives in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Publications

Fiction

• Ishtihaar Aadami (short stories) 1998
• Daira (novel),2001
• Dastak (short stories), 2010
• Kabhi Na Khatm Hoanay Wali Kahaani (novel)

Translations

English to Urdu

• So Azeem Aadami (by Michael Hart), 1992
• Muhabbat Key Khatoot (by Khalil Gibran), 1993.
• Kafka Kahanian (by Franz Kafka), 1994.
• Mukhtasar Tareekh-e-Alam (by H G Wells), 1995.
• Marco Polo Ka Safarnama (by Marco Polo), 1999.
• Muhammad (by Karen Armstrong), 2002.
• Toahamat ki Dunya (by Carl Sagan), 2003.
• Jarey Key Phool (Japanese stories) 2003.
• Sarif Nama (introduction of consumer rights) 2004.

Urdu to English

• Tale of Four Saints (Retelling of Persian classic tale ‘Qissah Chahaar Darvaish’ into English)

Research/Criticism

• Doosra Aadami (interviews)1993
• Pakistan Sal Ba Sal, 1999
• Abdullah Hussein: Shakhsiat Aur Fun, 2009
• Democracy, 2010
• Insaani Haqooq aur Urdu Sahaafat, 2005

Recognition

Butt's literature has been the subject of Master's level research in the Urdu language department of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad in 2008 and M.Phil's level research at Punjab University, Lahore in 2011 and International Islamic University, Islamabad in 2011.

References

• Asad, Altaf Hussain (December 2010). "Soul of an Era: Review of Dastak". Literati (The News on Sunday). http://jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2010-weekly/nos-19-12-2010/lit.htm. 
• Butt, Muhammad Asim (16 June 2002). "Reviews: Empowering Women". Dawn. http://archives.dawn.com/weekly/books/archive/020616/books11.htm. 
• Saeed, Saadat. "Kafka: the Pioneer of New Story". http://www.saadatsaeed.com/DOC/Kafka.htm.  A review of Butt's translation of Kafka
• "Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature". http://foundationsaarcwriters.com/Detail.aspx?id=MARCH%202010%20DELHI,INDIA-II&type=HISTORY. 
• Javed, Kazy (March 2010). "A Word About Letters". Literati. http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2010-weekly/nos-07-03-2010/lit.htm. 
• Javed, Kazy. "English history of Punjabi literature". http://baithak.blogspot.com/2005/11/eng-history-of-punjabi-langauge-kazy.html.