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Homage paid to

Shafiqur Rehman

RAWALPINDI: Men of letters and intellectuals on Tuesday paid homage to Shafiqur Rehman who deeply influenced two generations of the sub-continent through his humorist Urdu prose writings.

In their comments on the contribution of the literary figure after he was laid to rest at the Army Graveyard on Monday, they described him as a legend who was among galaxy of writers who did not let their creative zeal wither away in the hard army life.

Dr. Gauhar Naushahi, head of research and curricula department of the National Language Authority said, Shafiqur Rehman was perhaps the last classical Urdu writer who dominated the literary sense in the sub-continent for decades.

His writings based on light humour had an effect of moonlight and dew drops on the mind of a reader who was transcend to the dream life.

Professor Fateh Mohammad Malik, Head of Pakistan Studies Department, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, said Shafiqur Rehman had a multi dimensional impact on the Urdu prose and inspired generation of young writers. He was a towering literary figure who could be compared with two other great literary writers Ñ Mushtaq Ahmed Yousafi and Khalid Hassan.

Prominent lawyer M. Bilal said on the occasion that Shafiqur Rehman continued distributing smiles and delights among the readers and his books were sold like hot cakes.

A noted humorist poet Sarfaraz Shahid said Shafiqur Rehman was a great name in the filed of pure humour. The vacuum created by his passing away would be very hard to fill. He believed in putting smiles on the faces of his readers.

Among over one dozen books, mostly travelogues, Hamaqten and Mazeed Hamaqten stand prominent and are popular among the young and old.ÑAPP