The winner of the 2024 Salam Award for Imaginative Fiction, which recognizes emerging speculative fiction writers of Pakistani origin or residence, was announced September 14.

WINNER

• “A Shrine by The Sea” by Syed Zain Haroon

(The winning story can be read on The Salam Award website.)

FINALISTS

• “The Shopkeeper’s Remedy” by Manahil Bandukwala
• “The 11th Wish” by Raazia Sajid

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• “On the Moonglow Road” by Ramsha Farooq Raja
• “Hexes on Exes” by Zuha Siddiqui

The winner receives:

• A cash prize of Rs 50,000
• Stories will be published on the Salam Award website
• Review by an established literary agent for market guidance and possible representation
• An editorial review by a professional editor for critique and potential publication in a multi-award winning science fiction magazine

The authors of the other top two stories receive Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000.

The award judges were S. B. Divya, Max Gladstone, and Vajra Chandrasekera.