Waqar-e-Pakistan Literary Research Cloud
​The Confluence of Pen and Uniform: A Special Session with Ms. Fauzia Taj
​Today’s dialogue centers on a personality who has established a beautiful balance between the iron walls of discipline and the silken waves of emotion. From the platform of the Waqar-e-Pakistan Literary Research Cloud, we introduce you to Ms. Fauzia Taj, who holds the honor of being the first female Commandant of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prison Academy, alongside being a distinguished writer.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): Madam, first of all, tell us about your birthplace and how that soil influenced your personality?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): I was born on April 3rd in the lap of the beautiful mountains of District Mansehra. The atmosphere and the simplicity of that place are still a vivid part of my memories.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): Tell us something about your family background. Did you have access to an academic environment from childhood?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): Yes, absolutely. I belong to an educated family. My father was a doctor and served in the teaching faculty at Ayub Medical College. My siblings and sister-in-law are also associated with the medical profession. This educational environment inspired me from childhood to become someone of substance and to contribute to society.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): What is your educational background and how did your professional life begin? How was the journey from being a lawyer to becoming a Commandant in the Prison Department?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): I obtained a law degree and tried my luck in the legal field for three years. But perhaps destiny had chosen a more challenging path for me. I entered the Prison Department through the Public Service Commission. Over the past 22 years, I have closely observed the psychological and social issues of female inmates at Central Jail Haripur. By the grace of Allah, I now hold the distinction of being the first female Superintendent of this department and the first Commandant of the Academy.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): Nowadays, we see a lot of “lobbying” and grouping in literature. In your view, how harmful are these attitudes for a writer?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): This is a bitter reality. When a writer divides themselves into groups, the sincerity of their writing is affected. A writer should be the “eye of society,” not a tool for a specific group. Lobbying is a wall in the path of intellectual progress that distances writers from one another and creates chaos instead of constructive thinking in society.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): What reservations and obstacles do female writers face in an Eastern society?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): Seeing a pen in a woman’s hand is difficult for many to digest because the pen is power, and men often want a monopoly on power. Many women are still forced to write under pseudonyms instead of their real names so that their families are not criticized. This social pressure is equivalent to strangling their creative potential.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): A police job and poetry—how do you manage these two completely opposite sides? Does the poet hidden behind the uniform ever face difficulty?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): People often ask this. The truth is, beneath the uniform beats the same sensitive heart that grieves even at the death of a baby sparrow. When I am on duty, the law is in my hands, but when those same hands hold a pen in solitude, the day’s bitterness and human sorrows are molded into the structure of poetry. It is this pen that keeps me alive in such a grueling profession.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): Which of your books have been published so far, and what are their themes?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): My poetry collection Sangreze (Pebbles) and the fiction novel Jal Pari (Mermaid) have already gained the attention of readers. However, my third book has now been published under the title Umeed-e-Subh-e-Nau (Hope of a New Morning). This book is about the prevention of drug addiction and the harmful effects of smoking. It serves as a practical guide for children, youth, and people from all walks of life. Additionally, I am working on a book based on the lives of women incarcerated in prisons.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): In the digital age, what is the significance of books and literary magazines? Has social media ended the taste for reading?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): Social media has made access to information easier, but no technology can steal the fragrance and touch of a book. The peace found in holding a book and reading it can never be found on the lifeless screen of a laptop or mobile. A book is a companion that never leaves you alone.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): What is your dream and the ultimate purpose of your life?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): My dream is a society where humanity is valued, where class differences vanish, and every oppressed person receives justice. I want my writings to act as a candle in someone’s dark path.
​Question (Mian Waqar-ul-Islam): What is your message for young women who are just starting to write?
​Answer (Fauzia Taj): My message is simply this: do not give up the pen out of fear of harsh circumstances. For a writer, words are like oxygen; if you stop writing, your inner existence will die. Make your pen purposeful and never be afraid to speak the truth.