LAHORE: Poet and broadcaster of Punjabi and Urdu languages Aslam Kolsari passed away here on Monday.

According to friends and family of Kolsari, he was suffering from stomach problems and other ailments and was bed-ridden for the last couple of months.

His funeral prayers were held near his residence near Murghi Khana Stop in the Cantonment area.

His body was later taken to his ancestral village Jammar, near Okara Cantt, for burial.

He had many poetry collections to his credit, including Kaash, Neend, Barsaat, Nakhal-i-Jaan, Jeewan, Veerana, Koe, Kaif, Panchhi and Aik Nazar Kafi Hai.

Some of his couplets and ghazals got very famous. One such ghazal is “Jub mein uskay gaon sey bahir nikla tha/ her rastay nay mera rasta roka tha”.

Another couplet of the same ghazal became synonymous with his name: “Shehr mein aa kar parhnay walay bhool gaey/ kiski maan nay kitna zaiwar baicha tha”.

The late Dr Syed Shabihul Hasan had written a book on the poetry of Kolsari under the title, Jadeed Ghazal Aur Aslam Kolsari Ka Sheri Sarmaya.

Reviewing Hasan’s book, Dr Amjad Parvez had written: “Born in Okara, he (Kolsari) worked as an ordinary labourer without feeling any shame. While working as a laboratory supervisor from 1968 to 1978, he completed his intermediate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as a private candidate. After moving to Lahore he served as a sub-editor at the daily Mashriq”.

His column ‘Roshanion Sey Door’ was also published in the same daily. He also served the Urdu Science Board as research officer and then deputy director. He worked with the Punjab Institute of Language, Art & Culture (Pilac) as deputy director (Language). He had been editor of literary magazines ‘Trinjan’ and ‘Muaasir International’ and worked with FM 95 Punjab Rung as radio jockey (RJ).

Kolsari performed in ‘Talqeen Shah’, a famous programme of Ashfaq Ahmad at the Radio Pakistan and in ‘Mughley Di Jhok’ presented on FM-95 Punjab Rung Radio. He wrote stage plays ‘Aur Ankh Khul Gai’ and ‘Abhi Nahi Tou Kabhi Nahi’ which received accolades from art and literary circles.

He also wrote many stories for children like ‘Khandar Mein Chirag’, ‘Zakhmi Gulab’, ‘Anokhey Shikari’ and ‘Chand Ke Uss Paar’. They were also published in the daily Mashriq.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2016