[1] The magazine was founded and edited by poet and author Shamsur Rahman Faruqi who used to work on it along with his job at the Indian Postal Service.
[3] Though it was popular, it ceased publication owing to editor Shamsur Rahman Faruqi's failing health.
[4] Faruqi initially thought of naming the Magazine Teesha (axe or adze) associated with Farhad, a stonemason in the Persian Romance Khosrow and Shirin, who had to cut through a mountain.
Finally, Shabkhoon (surprise attack by night) — an allusion to "shaking the world of [urdu] literature out of stasis" — was decided upon.
It was published for the first time in June 1966 with Progressive writer Ejaz Hussain as its first editor.