KARACHI, Dec 20: Prominent poet Hanif Asaadi, 87, died here on Monday after a protracted illness. He was laid to rest in the Paposh Nagar graveyard. He has left behind two sons and four daughters.

Soyem will be held at his residence — V—E 6/19, Nazimabad No-5 — after Asr prayers on Wednesday.

Hanif Ahmad, known as Hanif Asaadi, was born on July 1, 1919 in Shahjehanpur, India. Although his works included Ghazal and other genres of poetry, for his constant devotion to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) he remained fascinated by Na’at. His two books ‘Zikr-i-Khairul Anaam’ and ‘Aap’ are enough to keep his name alive for generations.

After his early education in Shahjehanpur, he did his graduation from the Muslim University of Aligarh and passed many other language examinations. After partition, he migrated to Pakistan with his parents in March 1948 and settled in Karachi, and joined the Pakistan Navy. After retirement, he began his practice of homeopathy and continued composing poetry and attending mushairas.

Hanif Asaadi was the son of an outstanding poet, Asaad Shahjehanpuri, whose poetry collection ‘Wijdan-i-Saleem’ is considered as remarkable literary contribution to the Muslim renaissance in the subcontinent.

During the Pakistan movement, the young Hanif Asaadi recited the heart-warming poems written by his father at Muslim League rallies and meetings.