RAWALPINDI, Dec 30: Three prominent local poets of national importance died during the year 2001. Among them included Ahmed Zafar, Jamil Malik and Bashir Saifi.

Ahmed Zafar who was born in November 1926, died In Gujranwala. Ahmed Zafar was a progressive poet and was founder member of Progressive Writers Association in Rawalpindi. He also composed poetry in Punjabi language. He had done his Masters in Urdu literature from Gordon College Rawalpindi.

For better part of his life, he worked for Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and Azad Kashmir Radio Trar Khel.

He had to his credit publications of several collections of Ghazals and Nazms.

Jamil Malik was also a progressive poet who made his name as ghazal writer. He had done two Masters - one in Urdu literature and the other in Persian literature. He was a teacher by profession.

Bashir Saifi was comparatively a young poet. He was born on October 3, 1948.

He was associated with Allama Iqbal Open University. He wrote Ghazals as well as Nazms.