First ever novel in Arabic on Kashmir, authored by Dr. Talha Al Kashmiri launched at Consulate Jeddah

ISLAMABAD, Nov 01 (APP):A first-ever novel in Arabic titled “Bayna Ashjar al-Jinar” authored by Dr Talha Al-Kashmiri, was launched at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Jeddah, on the occasion of Kashmir Black Day, 2026, the other day.

The novel is the first-ever in the Arabic language on the subject of Kashmir.

According to an interview conducted with Dr Talha, it was revealed that the novel has beautifully woven the issue of Kashmir into the language of humanity, love, culture, and the beauty of Kashmir.

The author is a Kashmiri-origin Pakistani expatriate in Saudi Arabia who shared his views and experience of authoring this unique piece of literature on such an important issue.

Dr Talha is a prominent Pakistani writer, columnist, researcher, and analyst raised in the Holy City of Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He was born in Pakistan, but he had been connected to Saudi Arabia since childhood, and he began his formal education in Medina.

Dr Talha studied in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Later, he completed a PhD in Urdu and Literature from the University of the Punjab, Pakistan. The subject of his doctoral thesis was “Tazkira-e-Kashmir.” Subsequently, he undertook a post-doctorate at the International Islamic University, Islamabad, in which he examined the trend of extremism within Pakistani politics.

Dr Talha is currently based in Saudi Arabia, and his business is in the fields of Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Replying to a question about his inspiration to write on Kashmir, Dr Talha said he took a keen interest in reading Urdu literature, including Urdu newspapers that highlighted the then situation of Pakistan and the Kashmir issue and also his regular engagement with social media.

Dr Talha’s teacher, Maulana Yusuf Mutala, was also his inspiration, under whose supervision he studied various religious texts, including the “Sihah Sittah” (the six authentic collections of Hadith). He mentioned that during his scholarly discussions, alongside topics related to Medina, the subject of Kashmir would also come up.

He said his meetings and discussions with Mr Nafees Zakaria—a former spokesperson and ambassador for Pakistan—proved to be highly significant, providing valuable research material and information concerning the Kashmir issue, which further encouraged him to undertake serious scholarly and research-based work on this subject.

Dr Talha added that there is still a need for further work regarding how the Kashmir issue is presented within the Arab world—both in terms of the approach taken and the scope of coverage. There is significant room to disseminate information concerning the historical, humanitarian, and political dimensions of this issue, he added. This realization served as a primary motivation for him to undertake scholarly and research-based work on the subject. Later, during his PhD studies at the University of Punjab, Lahore, he selected this topic for his doctoral thesis, titled “References to Kashmir in Arabic and Urdu Literature.”

Replying to another question, he said his doctoral thesis provided a research-based examination of Kashmir’s historical status, its representation in Arabic and Urdu literature, writings and books on Kashmir within Saudi literature, and the official stances adopted by various Arab nations regarding the Kashmir issue.

He added that throughout his research, he became increasingly convinced of the need for more impactful and high-quality work on the Kashmir issue in the Arabic language—both within literary circles and across social media platforms. Consequently, he decided to present his research, studies, and accumulated knowledge through a literary medium, aiming to effectively convey the historical, humanitarian, and literary facets of the Kashmir issue to readers in the Arab world. It is from this perspective, this intellectual commitment, and a long journey of research that my book—an Arabic work structured as a novel, titled “Between the Rivers Amidst the Chinar Trees”—came into being.

Thus, this book is not merely a literary endeavour; rather, it represents his long-standing connection with Kashmir, he maintained.

At the end, Dr Talha Al-Kashmiri thanked Consul General Pakistan, Jeddah, Syed Mustafa Rabbani and Press Consul Mohammed Irfan for their great kindness and generosity in allowing him to express his thoughts and research work.