Apocalyptic Visions: Anthropocene Narratives In Contemporary Pakistani Fiction

Abstract

The anthropogenic impacts inflicted through the use of modern technology in different spheres of life ranging from social to economic, called the Anthropocene epoch, have made human civilisation's work unlike that of any other civilisation. This dramatic global change has stifled literary and socio-cultural imaginations around the globe. Modern fiction writers in Pakistan are striving to embrace more aspects of ecological crises, climate catastrophes, environmental pollution, and the holistic ideal of apocalyptic visions towards contemporary socio-political realities. The objective of this study is to analyse the responses of modern Pakistani novelists regarding environmental disasters, migration due to climate changes, and the struggle for resources through the Anthropocene concept. The study attempts to understand the uncharted aspects of modern-day post-colonial narratives about global ecological issues in the context of Pakistan, which is burdened by the tumultuous history of colonialism, industrialisation, and political turbulence. This study focuses attention on the contribution of Pakistani fiction to global discourses of the Anthropocene, such as the neglect of sustainable development, the call for environmental justice, and the reconstruction of social relations between man and nature, articulated through the narratives of selected works by Mohsin Hamid, Omar Shahid Hamid, and Uzma Aslam Khan. The research concludes that alongside depicting environmental woes, Pakistani literature serves as a tool for creating ecological consciousness and mobilization.

Keywords: Anthropocene, Pakistani fiction, environmental crisis, climate change, ecocriticism, postcolonialism, apocalyptic narratives, ecological justice.