Auraq

Dr. Wazir Agha’s magazine "Auraq" from Lahore also played a significant role in the promotion of modernism. Its contents were eye-opening. It was perhaps the first magazine that introduced the "Inshaiya" (informal essay) as an important literary genre. The literary and intellectual debates published in it brought a sense of dynamism and upheaval to Urdu literature. It was a trendsetting magazine that introduced many crucial topics to literature, especially those that were previously unfamiliar to Urdu literature. There was hardly any literary subject that was not discussed in its editorials or debates. One of the most popular columns of Auraq was titled "Sawal Yeh Hai" (The Question Is), which opened new avenues of discussion and debate, giving writers from different schools of thought a platform to express their views. A particularly thought-provoking discussion was initiated in this column regarding the inclusion of English words in Urdu. The debate was sparked by Mushtaq Qamar, with participants including Ibadat Barelvi, Abdul Salam Khurshid, Jameel Malik, Saleem Akhtar, Nasir Syed Shehzad, and Jameel Azar. The discussion revolved around concerns about the excessive use of English words in Urdu. Some argued for regulating English influence, while others contended that the contextual use of English words was not problematic and that widely accepted foreign terms should not be unnecessarily restricted.