Dawn Images

It's only fair that Pakistan's only Nobel Prize [in Physics] winner gets an award dedicated to him.

Spearheaded by Usman Malik and Tehseen Baweja, The Salam Award launches today; it's a tribute to Dr. Abdus Salam and an effort to promote science fiction writing in Pakistan.

The Salam award seeks to recognise the man's genius and his status as a marginalised person within his country via the honorific and to encourage the pursuit of science fiction and imaginative writing in Pakistan. It's an admirable small effort by a few concerned individuals to change that and encourage our populace to be more imaginative.

Prominent Pakistani intellectual and scientist Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, a student and colleague of Dr Salam's, will be serving as the advisor and member of the award admin.

The award will be given to aspiring short fiction writers of Pakistani origin, regardless of sexual orientation, creed, or caste. Story submissions will be in English, blinded, and judged by a rotating jury of science fiction professionals each year. The three finalists will each receive an agent and editorial review of their manuscripts. The winner will receive 500 US dollars as well as the aforementioned perks.

Judges for 2017 are Jeff Vandermeer, Mahvesh Murad, and Usman Malik. The 2017 editor reviewer is Ann Vandermeer of Tor.com. The 2017 Agent reviewer is Seth Fishman of The Gernert Company.

We've reached out to the organisers for additional comments.