Abdal Bela

Abdal Bela
Born(1956-12-14)14 December 1956
Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
DiedDecember 22, 2024(2024-12-22) (aged 68)
Islamabad, Pakistan
OccupationsNovelist, short story writer, physician, military officer
Writing career
LanguageUrdu
Period1979–2024
GenresFiction, novel, Sufi literature, travel writing, short story
Notable worksDarwaza Khulta Hai (2006); Aaqa (2015)

Abdal Bela (14 December 1956 – 22 December 2024) was a Pakistani Urdu-language novelist and short story writer, and a retired colonel of the Pakistan Army. He is known primarily for the novel Darwaza Khulta Hai and the biographical work Aaqa, both published by Sang-e-Meel Publications in Lahore.

Early life and education

Bela was born on 14 December 1956 in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. His father, Chaudhry Fazal Din, was among the families who migrated from Ludhiana in British India and settled in Lahore following the Partition of India in 1947.[citation needed] Bela completed his schooling and college education in Lahore, studying at Government College Lahore before graduating with an MBBS degree from Punjab Medical College in Faisalabad.[citation needed] In 1997, he obtained an MSc in Hospital Administration from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.[citation needed]

Military career

Following his medical qualification, Bela was commissioned as a captain in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps.[citation needed] During his service he also held postings in the Saudi Arabian army and the Pakistan Navy.[citation needed] He retired from the Pakistan Army in 2007 at the rank of colonel, having served in his final posting as Deputy Director of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).[citation needed]

Literary career

Bela began publishing fiction in 1979, with his debut work Anhoniyan appearing that year. Over the following decades he published across multiple genres, including the novel, short story, travel writing, and Sufi literature, with a recurring interest in Pakistani history and Islamic biography.

Bela was identified as a figure within the Lahore literary scene in a 2001.

Notable works

Darwaza Khulta Hai (دروازہ کھلتا ہے; lit. The Door Opens) is an Urdu novel, published by Sang-e-Meel Publications in 2006 (ISBN 978-969-35-1812-2).

Aaqa (آقاﷺ; Seerat-e-Pak) is a Urdu-language biography of the Prophet Muhammad, published by Sang-e-Meel Publications in 2015 (ISBN 978-969-35-2825-1).

References

  1. 1 2 Naqvi, Ashfaque (10 November 2001). "Recalling Mumtaz Mufti: Lahore literary scene". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Darwaza Khulta Hay". sangemeel.shop. Sang-e-Meel Publications. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Aaqa PBUH". sangemeel.shop. Sang-e-Meel Publications. Retrieved 30 May 2026.