ISLAMABAD: Writers and poets gathered at the National Press Club on Tuesday to pay tribute to renowned Urdu writer and poet Kishwar Naheed for her contribution to Urdu literature.

The event titled Aik Sham Kishwar Key Naam also included recitations of various poems by Ms Naheed, including humein kuch ghulam chahiyen, katba, and Ujli sham mein lipta wada, which the audience enjoyed immensely along with the anecdotes accompanying each poem.

Speaking at the event, human rights activist I.A. Rehman said Ms Naheed had turned from a human rights activist to a feminist activist and that she sees the issues surrounding her with a different perspective. He said her writing reflects the true face of society and therefore offends certain elements.

Renowned writer Prof Fateh Mailk said Ms Naheed is a “very bold woman who does not pay much attention to the people who create hurdles for her and criticise her bold work”.

He said the writer had married poet Yousuf Kamran at a young age and had made the decision to do so herself. “She raised her two sons and continued to support her family after her husband’s death,” he said.

Journalist and writer Munnu Bhai shared some memories of Ms Naheed and spoke about the role of women in society.

The son of renowned poet Ahmed Faraz, Senator Shibli Faraz said the themes in Ms Naheed’s poems always remained powerful and described reality in powerful words.

Pakistan Academy of Letters Chairman Dr Qasim Bughio said Ms Naheed is part of the segment of society which fights for bringing about positive change.

“Though most of her writing is about the negative aspects of society, she has a kind and beautiful heart. In prose and poetry, she has explored some aspects of women’s lives that were not discussed by poets before,” he said.

Ms Naheed’s work is feminist, progressive, bitter, sharp and bold, he said.

National Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz talked about Kishwar Naheed’s book ‘Gustakhi Kishwar Naheed’, which is a collection of her columns. She said Ms Naheed writes two kinds of columns, some about her friends from the literary world and others about current affairs.

Published in Dawn January 25th, 2017