صدیق سالک کا ’’پریشر کُکر‘‘ معاشرتی تناظر کے آئینے میں

Abstract

Siddiq Salik was born on September 6 at Distt. Kharian, Punjab. His father was an average farmer having some agricultural land. He was just a toddler when his father passed away leaving a young widow with four kids to face the hardships of the world. The inherited land was usurped by his paternal uncle. Despite unfavourable circumstances his mother Aalim Bibi played her role heroically and educate him along with his three sisters utilizing her limited resources. According to rural tradition he completed recitation of the Holy Quran first and then got admission in the School. After passing 9th grade he left school and appeared as a private candidate for Matriculation exams. He bagged 1st position among all the private candidates. From Zamindar college, Gujrat he did F. A and did graduation from Islamia College, Lahore. From the same institution he got Masters degree in English literature. In 1963 he got diploma in International Relations from Punjab University, Lahore and joined Journalism. On December 17,1964 he got commission in Pak Army as a public Relations officer. During 1971 war he was imprisoned and declared POW. During imprisonment he wrote his memoir'Witness to Surrender'. Meanwhile his mother died in 1973 while he was still in India as a prisoner. When Martial law by Gen Zia was imposed on July 6,1977 he served as Press Secretary to President and wrote many speeches for him. In 1984 he was promoted as a Colonel and later on promoted to the rank of Brigadier in 1985.He was serving as Director General ISPR when killed in an air crash along with General Zia on August 17,1988. The title of his novel 'Pressure Cooker ' is symbolic. However, the said novel does not fall in the category of symbolic novel as there is no abstractionism in it.
The article under review is an attempt to analyse Siddiq Salik's novel "Pressure Cooker" in the backdrop of current social perspective. It highlights not only a particular era when it was written but also mirrors the prevailing social set up of Pakistan under moral deterioration and crumbling values depict the decline of humanity. These exploiting others for personal benefit, is the foremost requisite and survival of the fittest is the only option. Innovation and logical thinking is discouraged in the grab of conservatism religious extremism.