Popular poet: Twin cities literati remember Faraz on fifth death anniversary

ISLAMABAD:

The twin cities’ literati paid homage to renowned poet Ahmad Faraz on his fifth death anniversary on Sunday. They also offered Fateha on his grave. Syed Ahmed Shah, known popularly as Faraz, was a legendary Urdu poet and writer who attained fame and recognition both at home and abroad.

Ethnically a Hindko-speaking Pakhtoon, Faraz was born in Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, He studied Persian and Urdu at Peshawar University where he later became a lecturer.

During General Ziaul Haq’s military regime, he left the country and stayed in Canada and Europe for six years before returning to Pakistan, where he was initially appointed as Pakistan Academy of Letters chairman and later the chairperson of the Islamabad-based National Book Foundation for several years.

Faraz was awarded Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2004 in recognition of his literary achievements. He returned the award in 2006 after being disenchanted with the then government and its policies.

He died from kidney failure in a local Islamabad hospital on August 25, 2008.

He was remembered with prayers and his grave adorned with flowers.

Apart from the various poets and writers, the late Faraz’s sons, Saadi and Shibli were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2013.