Accolades showered on poetess Nasira Zuberi at book launch

The book ‘Teesra Qadam’ is a collection of Nasira’s verses and Ghazals

Nationally acknowledged poetess and journalist Nasira Zuberi’s book, Teesra Qadam, was launched at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday evening with all the fanfare and showering of accolades on her. 

The book is a collection of her verses and Ghazals.

All the speakers had lots of tributes to pay Nasira as a person, a colleague, a boss and a human being. They all praised her for her very cheerful and charming disposition, and her efficiency.

Journalist Kashef Raza said that Nasira was a very kind-hearted person and a very understanding boss, as he had to be her subordinate for some time. As a tribute to her poetic talent, he credited her with having added to the diction of Urdu poetry.

Mubashir Zaidi praised her for the fact that often her poetry was very sensitive and recited one of her verses where she laments the heartlessness and the savagery of the social scene in Karachi. The poem was highly appreciated by the gathering.

The president of the Karachi Union of Journalists (Barna Group), Hassan Mansoor, also praised Nasira’s poetic acumen.

Former Karachi Press Club president and poet Fazil Jamili recalled how the late Wahed Bashir, once the president of the Karachi Union of Journalists, worked to have Nasira’s poems published. 

It was because Nasira, he said, had her own style. He said he was glad to see the way Nasira was getting recognition.

Jamili said that being a journalist facilitates reaching the goal of becoming a poet. As a poet progresses in years, he tends to become jittery, but Nasira has retained her poise.

Another poet-journalist, Javed Saba, said, “Nasira’s style is different from the rest. The best thing about her is that she knows how to communicate.”

“Nasira is a poet of self-discovery. Her poetry is a profound reflection on life,” said journalist Rashid Noor.

Praising Nasira’s oozing poetic talent, Aqeel Abbas Jaffery described the launch of Nasira’s book in Islamabad.

Former Karachi Press Club secretary Allauddin Khanzada said, “Nasira is a complete poetess.”

The chairperson of the Urdu Advancement Board, Dr Fatima Hassan, herself a noted poetess, praising Nasira’s talent, said that Teesra Qadam proved that Nasira was poised on the road to progress. “She is a highly educated, socially conscious person, which is proved by the fact that while she may be quitting jobs, she’s never quit poetry,” she said.

Mehtab Rashdi, MPA, in a very profound and poetic style, recited one of Nasira’s verses, which was heartily applauded.

Speaking last as chief guest, journalist Anwar Shaoor cited noted personalities like Dr Pirzada Qasim, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Faraz, Hassan Mumtaz and Muhammad Ali Siddiqui who had profusely praised Nasira’s poetry. Nasira herself recited certain poems from her collection in a really profound, theatrical style, which was a delight to watch and hear.