KARACHI: Shaam Ka Tanha Sitara, the fourth poetry collection by Ms Gulnaar Afreen, was launched on Friday.

Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad was one of the chief guest on the occasion. He admired the poet for her courage and conviction, and for producing resistance poetry during the dark and repressive days of the 90s.

Dr Ebad condoled the death of Nasir Hussain Zaidi, Ms Gulnar’s husband, last year and announced to name a road in the city after his name.

The meeting was presided over by Dr Aslam Farrukhi. The speakers included Mohsin Bhopali, Prof Saher Ansari, Prof Manzer Ayyubi, Jazib Qureshi and Agha Noor Mohammad Pathan. Ms Khushbakht Shujaat was also one of the chief guests.

Ms Gulnar Afreen, who is also a story writer, has produced four poetry collections, namely Jaras-i-gul, Tesha-i-Gham, Waqt Ka Maseeha and the present volume.

Dr Aslam Farrukhi said she had very ably expressed her pain and agony in her poetry, and recited some couplets from the poetry collection.

Prof Manzer Ayyubi, in his exhaustive article, praised Ms Afreen for her resistance poetry about a dark period when the stalwarts of literature preferred to keep silent. His dramatic delivery and resounding voice drew applause from the audience.

Prof Saher Ansari spoke on the poet’s personal background. She was brought up in family of learned persons and writers. Poet Wasif Tonki was her father and her brother too was also a well-known poet. Ms Afreen’s husband, late Nasir Hussain Zaidi, was the maternal grandson of Maulana Mohammad Hussain Azad. Ms Afreen, thought never attended academic institutions, acquired knowledge through her life experience and extensive reading at home.

The present poetry collection was composed and compiled by the poet in memory of her departed life companion. Remembering her husband, Ms Afreen spoke in a voice choked with emotion. She recited some couplets lamenting:

Tum ney to sham-i-gham ko moqadder bana dia.—Hasan Abidi