Intizar Hussain is regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated short story writers in Urdu literature, known for his rich symbolism, layered narratives, and the intricate interplay of ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings. His short story Kankari stands as a profound literary text that invites readers into a deeply interpretive space. Interpreting such a text necessitates a critical framework capable of accommodating its semantic complexities. Reader-Response Criticism offers a powerful paradigm in this regard, foregrounding the role of the reader in the construction and activation of meaning. This research paper applies reader-oriented theory to "Kankari", analyzing it through various reading perspectives, including the aesthetic, philosophical, psychological, postcolonial, scientific rationalist, and intertextual readers. The study demonstrates that Kankari is not a confined narrative but an expansive interpretive field, where meaning emerges through the reader’s expectations, positionality, and intellectual engagement. Through this multiperspectival analysis, the paper underscores the richness of the text and the indispensability of reader-based critical paradigms in exploring its depths.

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