Tribute to a poetess: Well-read and gifted, Parveen Shakir’s charm lives on

Friends, colleagues hold Quran Khwani to honour the memory of the poet.

ISLAMABAD: On a crisp winter morning, a group of people gathered to pay homage to the renowned poet Parveen Shakir on her 18th death anniversary. Seated next to her white marble grave, they read out a couplet etched on the epitaph, “Marr bhi jaon tou kahan log bhula he dain gay, lafz meray meray honay kee gawahi dain gay” (Even if I die, no one will forget me, the words I have penned down will give testimony for me), which rings true after all these years.

Around two dozen people prayed by her grave on Wednesday, while others sat quietly reading the Quran. The gathering was organised by the Parveen Shakir
Trust, formed soon after her death.

“Parveen had the most humbling attitude about her. Even though she excelled at everything she did, she remained grounded,” said Agha Parveen Qadir, a member of the trust, who also served with the late poet in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Qadir shared her first encounter with Shakir, “Parveen had just been posted to Islamabad from Karachi as deputy director custom. On her first day at work, the guards refused to let her in, saying an audit was in progress. Perhaps they didn’t realise such a young woman could be a deputy director custom. Their reluctance upset her and later she came to me almost tearing up.”

With her soul-stirring poetry, Shakir managed to win the hearts of many. She rose to national fame with her very first book “Khusbo” (fragrance).

Many of her books and poetry have been translated into various different languages. Recently her book “Khud Kalami” was translated into Italian.

Shakir was a multi-faceted woman. A civil servant, poet and writer, she also received a Pride of Performance award for her contribution to the South Asian literature. She managed to win the hearts of many with her soul-stirring poetry.

FBR Internal Audit Director Shaukat Mehmood, who was Shakir’s colleague and friend, said, “Few people know how extremely well educated Parveen Shakir was, with various degrees and even a MA Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.”

While reflecting on the tragic events that led to the death of the poet, a visibly emotional Qadir said, “I was the first person to reach the hospital after her accident. She left us too soon. I honestly don’t think anyone in this new generation can ever reach the benchmark she has set.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2012.