Noted Pashto poet and intellectual Riaz Tasneem is no more

Karachi’s Pashtun literary outfits and political parties have expressed sorrow over the demise of prominent Pashto poet and intellectual Riaz Tasneem, who passed away on Monday after fighting for life for more than a month in a hospital in Karachi.

Being an active member of the Jaras Abadi Jirga, a Karachi-based Pashto literary outfit, the 49-year-old poet played an important role in organising literary sessions and promoting Pashto poetry in the metropolis.

Tanseem, who was one of the few prominent Pashto poets in Pakistan and Afghanistan, authored several books and prominent among them were ‘Da Kum Rang May Kasheed Karhay’, ‘Za Ka Da Waray Oda Shwam’ and ‘Chandarh’. His work received widespread appreciation from Pashto poetry lovers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. His poetic work in Urdu has also been hailed by poetry lovers.

After migrated to Karachi some 32 years ago, he served as editor of ‘Jaras’, a quarterly Pashto literary magazine publishing from the metropolis. He used to contribute to Pashto and Urdu newspapers and literary journals on various literary and research topics.

He was originally from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s district of Charsadda and belonged to the Mohmand tribe. He was buried in a graveyard in the SITE area of Karachi. A large number of people from different walks of life offered his funeral prayers. Pashto literacy activists termed his demise a great loss for Pashtu literature and poetry.

“Tasneem was a wonderful poet and an extremely polite man,” said Sarwar Shamal, a Karachi-based Pashto poet and a friend of Tanseem. “Pashto poets will always remember him and his mission will continue even after his death.” The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the Awami National Party have also expressed their sorrow over the death of Tasneem. He left behind a son, a daughter and widow.