The Imran Series (Urdu عمران سیریز) is an Urdu spy fiction novel 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 for a handful of people, no one knows his status as the chief of the service.
The first book of the Imran series, Khaufnaak Imarat (The House of Fear) or (The Terrifying Building), (recently translated and published as The House of Fear by Random House, India) was published in October 1955. In early books Imran appears as a solo detective, but in the ninth book, Dhuaen ki Tehreer (The Scribbling in Smoke), he is portrayed as the chief of Secret Service as X-2.
Humour, mystery, suspense, psychology is the essence of Ibn-e-Safi books. Ibn-e-Safi wrote 120 books of Imran Series and 125 books of Jasoosi Dunya “Detective World” 'Fareedi Hameed Series'. Before creating the Imran Series in August 1955, Ibn-e-Safi created Jasoosi Dunya ‘The Detective World’ 'Fareedi Hameed Series' in March 1952 and continued to write until his death in 1980.
Ibn-e-Safi created Imran Series and Jasoosi Duniya “Spy World 'Fareedi Hameed Series' and he is the best Imran Series writer. Both series created by him reached the peak of popularity. His character are famous in subcontinent and internationally. More than two hundred fake writers of Imran Series such as N Safi, Najma Safi, Naghma Safi, Aban Safi, H Iqbal, S Qureshi, MA Rahat, Azhar Kaleem, Mazhar Kaleem, Safdar Shaheen etc. used the popularity of Imran Series and Jasoosi Duniya for themselves.
Overview
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).
Ali Imran
Ali Imran is a pivotal character in Imran Series. Handsome and bright, the young-man holds MSc, and PhD degrees from Oxford University and has extraordinary sex appeal. He always appears comical and moronic, using these features to camouflage himself as one of the stupidest men. Always shown acting stupid, insane, and funny, he keeps the readers in hysterics at his every action. He never reveals his true side to anyone. He usually dresses eccentrically; for example, a pink coat, a light green shirt, a yellow necktie, white pants, and a purple flat hat with a red rose in it is his typical apparel. Ibne Safi refers to this as Imran's "Technicolor Outfit."
Imran is son of Amma Bi and Mr. Abdul-ur-Rahman, director general of the Central Intelligence Bureau and as being from Genghis Khan's bloodline, he has Mongol lineage. He resides in an apartment with his two most trusted assistants: Sulaiman, the cook, and Joseph Mugunda, his bodyguard. He is, most of the time, seen driving a two-seater sports car.
Imran purposefully keeps multi facets to his personality. As Imran—Ali Imran—he acts as an opportunist who can turn either a police informer or a blackmailer as the situation demands. A perfect cover to his profession. His other most significant personality facet is the Chief of the Secret Services: X-2. Only three other characters know his secret: Sir Sultan, Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; “Black Zero,” or Tahir, who acts as X-2 in Imran’s absence; and Roshi, a long time friend and a trusted partner. The other two personalities Imran assumes now and then are the Prince of Dhump, a warlord of a fictitious state known as Dhump, and Rana Tahavvar Ali Sandooqui, a wealthy landlord and businessman.