Muhammad Asim Butt (Urdu: محمد عاصم بٹ) is an Urdu novelist, short story writer, translator, researcher, editor, critic and journalist. He has published three novels 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.

Biography

Since 2006 he has worked with the

Pakistan Academy of Letters The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) ( ur, ) is a national academy with its main focus on Pakistani literature and related fields. It is the largest and the most prestigious learned society of its kind in Pakistan, with activities throughout t ...

, Government of Pakistan, as Editor of the quarterly ''Adabiyaat'', a literary magazine.

Publications

Fiction

* ''Ishtihaar Aadami'' (Ad man اشتہار آدمی) (short stories), ''Fiction House, Lahore, Pakistan'', 1998 * ''Daira'' (Circle دائرہ) (novel), ''Sanjh Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan'', 2001 * ''Dastak'' (Knock دستک) (short stories), ''Dunyazaad, Karachi, Pakistan'', 2010 * ''Naatamaam (ناتمام)'' (An Unending Story) (novel), ''Sang e Meel Publications, Lahore, Pakistan'',2014 * ''Bhaid (بھید)'' (secret) (novel), ''Sang e Meel Publications, Lahore, Pakistan'',2018

Translations

English to Urdu * ''Japani Kahanian'' ( selected short stories from Japanese Literature), Sareer Publications, Pakistan, 2019 * ''Borgese Kahanian'' بورخیس کہانیاں ( selected short stories by Gorge Luis Borgese), Sang e Meel Publications, Lahore, Pakistan, 2017 * ''So Azeem Aadami'' سو عظیم آدمی (''The 100'' by

Michael H. Hart Michael H. Hart (born April 27, 1932), is an American astrophysicist, author, amateur historian, researcher, and white separatist/white nationalist. Since 1978, he has published five books, most notably of the best-selling work, '' The 100: A Ra ...

), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1992 * ''Muhabbat Key Khatoot'' محبت کے خطوط (Love Letters by Khalil Gibran), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1993 * ''Kafka Kahanian'' کافکا کہانیاں (translation of stories by Franz Kafka), Jang Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1994. * ''Mukhtasar Tareekh-e-Alam'' ('' A Short History of the World'' by H G Wells), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1995. * ''Marco Polo Ka Safarnama'' مارکو پولو کا سفر نامہ ( Travelogue by

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1999. * ''Muhammad'' ('' Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet'' by Karen Armstrong), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 2002. * ''Toahamat ki Dunya'' توہمات کی دنیا (by

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ext ...

), Mashal, Lahore, Pakistan, 2003. * ''Bai Moasam Key Phool'' (A selection of Japanese stories), Mashal, Lahore, Pakistan, 2003. * ''Sarif Nama'' صارف نامہ (introduction to consumer rights), The Network for Consumer Protection, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2004. * '' Fidelio'' فیڈیلیو (by Ludwig van Beethoven), Friedrich Naumann Stiftung Fur Die Freiheit, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2011. * ''Taaleem Ka Liberal Nuqta-e-Nazar'' تعلیم کا لبرل نقطہ نظر (''Liberal Readings on Education'' (by Stefan Melnik and Sascha Tamm ds., Friedrich Naumann Stiftung Fur Die Freiheit, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2012. Urdu to English * ''Tale of Four Saints'' (Retelling of Persian classic tale '' Qissah Chahaar Darvaish'' into English) National Book Foundation, Islamabad, 2016 and CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Second edition (September 4, 2016).

Research and criticism

* ''Doosra Aadami (The Other Person دوسرا آدمی)'' (interviews), Jang Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan, 1993 * ''Pakistan Sal Ba Sal (Pakistan Year by Year پاکستان سال بہ سال'', National Language Authority, Islamabad, Pakistan, 1999 * ''Insaani Haqooq aur Urdu Sahaafat انسانی حقوق اور اردو صحافت (Human Rights and Urdu Journalism)'', The Network for Consumer Protection, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2005 * ''Abdullah Hussein: Shakhsiat Aur Fun عبداللہ حسین: شخصیت اور فن (Abdullah Hussein: Person & Work)'', Pakistan Academy of Letters, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2009. * ''Kia Jamhooriat Pakistan Kay Liay Zaroori Hai? (Is Democracy Essential for Pakistan?)'', Liberal Forum Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2010. * ''Bahtareen Afsaanaon Ka Intikhab'' (a selection of best Urdu short stories in 2011), Takhleeqat Publishers, Lahore, Pakistan 2011

Recognition

Asim's novel ''Naatamaam'' ناتمام won Akse Khushbu (عکس خوشبو) Literary Award for Fiction for 2014. Asim's novel ''Natamaam'' ناتمام has won UBL Literary Excellence Award for 2015. Asim's book "Borkhese Kahanian" (بورخیس کہانیاں) (urdu translation of short stories of Jorge Luis Borges) was short listed for the UBL Literary Excellence Award for 2019. A selection of best short stories of Urdu ''Despairing Voices: Selected Urdu Short Stories'' compiled and translated by Syed Sarwar Hussein, published by Satyam Publishing House, India, 2011 includes two short stories of Butt. A detailed research thesis based on the critical analysis of three modern Urdu novelists including Butt, by Robina Sultan, published with the title "Teen Nai Novel Nigar" by Dastaaveez Matbuaat, Lahore, Pakistan in 2012. He participated as a speaker in the Oxford Literary Festival arranged by Oxford, Pakistan and British Council, Pakistan at Islamabad, Pakistan from 30 April to 1 May 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Muhammad Asim Pakistani novelists Urdu-language novelists Pakistani male short story writers Pakistani short story writers Urdu-language short story writers Urdu-language fiction writers Pakistani translators Government College University, Lahore alumni Living people People from Islamabad Pakistani people of Kashmiri descent Year of birth missing (living people)