LAHORE: Renowned Urdu and Punjabi poet Aizaz Ahmad Azar passed away late on Saturday and was laid to rest in Allama Iqbal Town’s Karim Block graveyard on Sunday.

Azar, 72, complained of chest pain during a family function on Saturday night and died on the way to hospital. His qul will be held on Monday (today) at 5pm at 120, Zeenat Block (near Bajwa Hospital), Iqbal Town.

Born in Batala, India, Azar authored 10 books of poetry and prose in both Punjabi and Urdu. Some of his works include ‘Dhiyan ki Seerian’, ‘Dhoop ka Rang Gulabi Ho’ and a collection of poems for children, titled ‘Titli, Phool aur Chand’, which were broadcast from Radio Pakistan.

He also rendered Surah Yousaf in chaste Punjabi, titled ‘Surah Yousaf ka Jamaliati Jaiza’ and compiled the works of his best friend and poet Tanveer Naqvi. He wrote various plays for PTV and Radio Pakistan and contributed literary columns to national dailies.

Azar obtained an LLB degree from the Punjab University, and later clinched a gold medal in MA Punjabi.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play