Shoaib Sadiq

Mr. Shoaib Sadiq holds a B.Sc. and L.L.B. He chose law as profession but soon lost interest in it and later switched to journalism. He was fond of writing from his school days.

Being a young journalist, he had the privilege of being Editor of his own literary magazine, called “Adabi Chehra” (literary face), and published in Pakistan before he immigrated to Canada seven years ago. Though he was confronted with problems in settling in this new land, he never was out of touch with journalism and continued working as resident editor for a couple of other Pakistani literary magazines.

Since he was energetic and hardworking, he soon started his own business, as grocer. Meanwhile, he kept looking for good employment. Luck favored him and he soon got a job working at Acolyte Phillips, in Cornwall. Mr. Shoaib came to Cornwall with his wife Shafana Khan and his two sons Alyan and Reyan.

After becoming financially secure, Mr. Shoaib devoted his time writing short stories (fiction) based on his experiences. He has a strong grip of the Pakistani and Canadian culture, and society. His efforts brought fruits and he published his first book titled “Chautha Aadmi” (Fourth Person), in 2010, a collection of his short stories. In these stories, he removed the curtain from the contradictions in words and deeds of people in our society.

In one of his stories titled “Pachtawa” (Repentance), he talks about a Pakistani individual Nasir Hussain, Nasir’s father got him a good education and later sent him abroad to obtain a higher education. Initially his mother was unwilling to agree with the decision but keeping in mind her son's good career, she finally accepted. However, Nasir arrives in the U.S.A where after completing his education he started working and later got married. He becomes very preoccupied with his job and raising his kids. Over two decades passed and he did not find time to visit his parents. During this long period, his parents passed away and unfortunately he could not even attend their funeral rites. Time passed and Nasir became afflicted with an incurable disease. He was finally sent to the Rehabilitation Center where he was counting his days. In the beginning, every Sunday, his wife and children would visit him. But later his kids, whom be had raised working hard for years and for whom he left his own parents, would no longer come to visit. However, his wife visited him, regularly, on Sundays. He would anxiously wait for her and when she arrived they talk for a couple of hours and eat together the food she brought from home. During their discussions, Nasir inquired about the children's welfare and their engagements. Every week, this would be his most pleasant time.

One Sunday morning, as usual, he keeps waiting eagerly for his wife but she does not show up; he is disappointed. With the help of the nurse, he calls her and inquires as to why she did not come. His wife tells him some of her relatives were visiting and she could not go to see him. She promised to visit him the next Sunday.

Nasir gets dejected and frustrated. He keeps recalling his parents and the promise he had made them when he went to the USA. He also remembers when his father was on his death bed desiring to see him a last time. However, Nasir did not have time to go to and his father finally passed away. Likewise his mother also died. Nasir becomes so frustrated; he decides to put an end to his life. He talks to his doctor and expresses his desire for euthanasia (merci killing). Accordingly, the doctor gives him some papers, which he signed. When his wife hears about it, she talks to the doctor and finally succeeds in getting her husband to change his decision and later returns home. The next Sunday when she goes to see her husband, she finds him dead.

In his other stories, Mr. Shoaib writes about people from different walks of life and in every story exposed the contradictions of our society.

Mr. Shoaib's second book, also a collection of short stories, is in the press while he is currently busy writing a fiction novel. He has plans to get both of his books published in Gurmukhi and in English.