Literary Lahore witnessed a rare occurrence on Saturday, 4th October 2025: a launch event of not one but two books – not by an old established author, but by a young writer, a brand-new star set to shine brightly in the firmament.
The new author is Meezan Zahra Khwaja, whose books were launched – in two very different genres: Dear Ali Faateh, a set of poems addressed to her deceased younger brother, and Mad, Not Stupid, a book in prose, dealing with serious mental health issues.
Meezan Zahra Khwaja is a Lahore-based author, whose writing bridges realism and poetic flights of fancy, offering a voice that is both intimate and fearless. She is also a development practitioner, having worked with reputed organizations, as well as having led a philanthropic education foundation for a decade in the Walled City of Lahore. Additionally, she is an academician, having taught at COMSATS University.
Dear Ali Faateh (vertically stylized in the book as “Faateh Ali Dear”) unfolds as a series of lyrical letters – a meditation on love, loss, sorrow, grief, emotional and spiritual endurance, that lingers on, long after the final page. It also has its light-hearted moments – chronicling her humdrum daily life, juxtaposed with the pain of loss.
The event, moderated by activist Tahira Abdullah, saw deep discussions on grief, mental health and resilience. Khwaja shared her journey, moving the audience with readings from her elegy for her brother, and an insightful guide on living with bipolar disorder
Mad, Not Stupid explores bipolar disorder and its impact on Pakistani society – confronting the stigma surrounding mental health; offering a deeply personal yet universally resonant reflection on what it means to live, feel and start to heal in a world too quick to judge. It explores the psychological and spiritual dimensions of human experience. It also offers advice and guidance tools to people suffering from mental illness – on how to go about their lives with more equilibrium and stability.
The Islamabad-based human rights defender, environment/climate change and peace activist, development researcher-practitioner, humanitarian worker, Tahira Abdullah moderated the discussion. She brought her trademark depth and empathy to the conversation. Calling them “two brave books”, she first discussed each book separately with the author, subsequently quoting passages highlighting the nexus between them, and their inherent personal context in space and time. Both books, though distinct in tone and subject, share Meezan’s natural introspection and courage.
Tahira started by paying tribute to her “friend and comrade Ali Faateh.” Her thoughtful moderation touched on various themes in both books, especially on how the Khwaja family dealt with the sudden loss of Ali Faateh at such a young age; along with Meezan’s questions of identity; profiling societal shame, silence and stigmatization of mental illness; world literature, culture, art; interfaith respect and harmony; environment/ climate change; feminism; activism, protest and creative resistance. She noted the philosophical passages, interspersed with sharp observations on current affairs, including Gaza-Palestine. Ali would have been so proud of his barri Apa.
During the discussion, Meezan joyfully and confidently reflected on her journey as a writer. When Tahira asked how she was able to do so many things, especially writing simultaneously in two such different genres, along with working professionally as an academic – and all at the same time – Meezan spontaneously responded, “After all, I’m mad, not stupid” – at which the entire audience, including her parents, burst into laughter. Tahira acknowledged: “Touché, laa-javaab kar diya.”
The event included readings from both books, a brief poetic recitation, and a lively audience exchange that touched on themes of mental wellness, women’s voices, poetry, creativity, resilience. Meezan Zahra Khwaja especially thanked her compassionate and encouraging mother, supportive sisters and solid father for their constant support through all her ups and downs in life.
The launch event drew writers, readers, thinkers and an array of professionals for an evening of conversation that blended intellect, empathy, literature and art, with informal recollections of times spent with both Ali Faateh and Meezan in Pakistan and abroad.
A number of people in the audience, including Dr Tabinda Ilyas, an eminent mental health professional, academicians, litterateurs, friends and family members spoke, congratulating the debut author on her amazing achievements, and echoing the moderator’s tributes to her courage, resilience, perseverance in the face of a society which had not always been kind to her or showed understanding of her bipolar disorder. Her family expressed their immense pride, love and gratitude.
The evening concluded with a brief prayer for beloved Ali Faateh – rest in peace.
The two books were launched by the publisher, Sang-e-Meel, at their head office-cum-outlet in Lahore.