Imran Series – by Ibn-e-Safi

Imran Series by Ibn e Safi   عمران سیریز   از: ابنِ صفی

​Imran Series is one of the best-selling Urdu spy novels series created by Pakistani writer Ibn e Safi. Ali Imran is the pivotal character, a comical secret agent who controls the Secret Service as X-2 but appears to work as a normal member of the Secret Service. Except a handful of people, no one knows his status being the chief of the Service.

The first book, Khaufnaak Imarat (The Terrifying Building), was published in October 1955. In early books Imran appears as a solo detective, however, later in ninth book, Dhuaen ki Tehreer (The Scribbling in Smoke), he is portrayed as the chief of Secret Service as X-2.

Humour is the essence of Ibn e Safi books. In this series by Mr. Safi had written a total of 120 books.

Following the footsteps of the first best-selling series, Jasoosi Dunya, this series features Ali Imran – a playful, yet deceiving personality. He is a bright young Oxford graduate with MSc and PhD degrees in chemistry. His comical and apparently incompetent persona hides his identity as head of a secret service. This series has been widely acclaimed for its high literary quality and strong character development.

Imran Series explains the workings of a country’s Secret service that operates from the capital of the country (supposed by many to be Karachi in Pakistan which was the capital when initial Imran Series novels were written. Although Ibn-e-Safi was careful to never explicitly state this, villains often refer to the country as the “one from South Asia”).

The Secret Service is administered by the Secretary of Internal Affairs, Sir Sultan, who offers Imran the position as its head after getting personal help from him in Raat ka Shahzadah (The Prince of Night – #8).