From bricks to books: How a mason produced a magnum opus Ali Akbar Natiq’s novel Nau Lakhi Kothi is a beacon of hope for Urdu literature April 27, 2021 RAWALPINDI: Life came down on him like a ton of bricks, literally. Though his occupation was masonry, the heart pounding in his chest was too literary. So brick by brick and wall by wall, he built his little empires – and guarded them all alone. “My ancestors migrated [to Pakistan] with the tradition of ploughing the fields. I would also work with my father in the fields all day long,” says eminent literary figure Ali Akbar Natiq whose novel Nau Lakhi Kothi, which came out first in 2016, has gained in popularity over the years.