Ali Akbar Natiq is the reigning prince of modern Urdu literature. His first novel Naulakhi Kothi is an intimate epic a romp through Punjab's past and present and a poetic interrogation of our colonial masters. I am fortunate that Natiq is from a village only a couple of miles from mine in Okara. These pages have the fragrance of our tilled earth shades of the colour of our common blood. I don't know any writer in any language who can write so beautifully and then go and build stunning red brick buildings with his own hands. -- Mohammad Hanif ― Mohammad Hanif