A review of Nayyar Iqbal Alvi's fictional collection "Jeeb Kutre"

Abstract

This paper offers a critical overview of Jeeb Katrey, a short story collection by the contemporary Urdu fiction writer Nayer Iqbal Alvi. Living between Pakistan and Germany, Alvi captures the cultural, moral, and emotional dissonance of modern society through a unique literary lens. The collection includes seventeen stories that portray not only the decline of traditional values but also the moral decay permeating both Eastern and Western societies. The title story, Jeeb Katrey (Pickpockets), is an allegorical narrative highlighting social and political corruption in Pakistan, symbolized through the decay of the once-vibrant Ratan Cinema. Other stories like Dar-e-Munfa’at par Dastak, Koakh Mein Jame A’laq se Guftagu, and Ababeelain Kyun Nahin Aatein? Address exploitation, gender-based violence, and political helplessness, with powerful female characters often at the center.Alvi’s characters are not bound by geography, religion, or race; rather, they represent a universal human experience caught in the crossfire of greed, oppression, and disillusionment. The stories merge emotional intensity with socio-political commentary, exposing the duplicity and decay of modern power structures. His narrative technique blends realism with symbolism, personal pain with collective trauma, and nostalgia with harsh critique. Through rich imagery, dialogue, and internal reflection, Alvi builds a literary landscape that transcends boundaries while remaining rooted in local realities.This collection not only revives the tradition of socially engaged storytelling but also serves as a mirror to contemporary crises—making Alvi’s work a significant contribution to modern Urdu fiction.