The Annual Edition of Pakistan’s Premier Kids’ Magazine Appeared
Correspondent
KARACHI: Amidst rising illiteracies and decreasing readership ratio, the promotion of the children’s literature in a war-torn country like Pakistan appears to be a daunting task. However, there has been a premier kids’ Urdu magazine named ‘Mahnama Sathee’, which is working all alone as a lone warrior in the promotion of children literature in Pakistan. To celebrate this ongoing literary journey, ‘Mahnama Sathee’ has recently issued its annual edition called ‘Salnama’ in October 2014 to promote reading habits among the local children living in any nook and corner of the country. The recent annual number of this kids’ Urdu magazine comes out to be monumental in the entire history of children’s literature in Pakistan. Besides, the appearance of the latest annual edition of Monthly Sathee also speaks volumes of the lifelong efforts and continued struggle made by the publisher who has managed to keep the flag moving in spite of severe financial setbacks and the lack of support offered by the literary authorities.
“Started back in 1977 in a small one-roomed office, the Monthly Sathee, today, has emerged as the most popular kid’s Urdu monthly in the country. The prime reason behind such a phenomenal achievement is the persistence and determination exhibited by the local Urdu writers, essayists and poets, as well as the publisher of the magazine,” Mr. Fasih Ullah Hussaini, Editor Monthly Sathee said. “We owe this success to our young readers too who have not only appreciated our humble literary efforts, but also played a vital role in the continued running of a children’s monthly running on ‘no profit, no loss’ principle since its inception,” added by Mr. Hussaini.
Monthly Sathee’s recent annual edition (October-2014) contains a literary treasure exclusively written for the young children by the well-known and upcoming children writers and poets of Pakistan, e.g. Mr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Mr. Ibn-e-Aas, Mr. Ather Hashmi, Mr. Inayat Ali Khan, Mr. Ahmed Adnan Tariq, Ms. Maryam Sarfaraz, Ms. Fouzia Khalil, Mr. Qazi Tariq, Mr. Imran Mushtaq, and Mr. Yousuf Muneer, and many others.
The latest ‘Salnama October-02104” brings scores of worth-reading short stories and informative articles for children and young students, wherein the top stories included ‘Samandar Ka Bhoot (Demon of the sea)’, ‘Aah, hum ghedhay (Oh, we donkeys)’, ‘Superhero’, ‘Baray se Bara (Elder’s elder)’, ‘Kahani….Phir Kabhi (Storytelling, keep it for next time)’, ‘Raju ki tarkeeb’ (Raju’s tactics)’, ‘Anokha Intikhab (The unique selection)’, ‘Bila Unwaan (The untitled)’, Baray hemaray aehd kay (Today’s elders)’, ‘Mareeghi bechun ka khet (Letter written by the Martian kids)’, ‘and Haadsay ke baad (After the incident)’, etc.