KARACHI: Syed Wali Haider, an octogenarian, author of four poetry collections and stories, launched his fifth book at the Arts Council on Monday.

The council’s literary committee hosted the programme. The speakers included vice-chancellor of Baqai University Gen (retd) Azher Ahmad, Mr Shaukat Zaidi, Prof Ali Haider Malik and Mr Naqqash Kazmi. Mr Ali Irfan Abedi paid his complements to the senior poet in his verse.

Gen (retd) Azher Ahmad spoke about the author and his creative talent as a good poet with noble ideas and a prose writer with some style.

Shahab-i-Saqib by Mr Haider is a collection of his prose, prose poems and other literary pieces. The writer, as he disclosed later, was a love-lorn affectionate person with the heart of a young man and his book imbibed with spiritual knowledge. He started his career as a writer in and around the year 1945, his latest collection carries the knowledge and wisdom of some 60 years.

Mr Shaukat Zaidi admired the writer’s literary prose of a high standard rich in eye witness account of the historic past.

Prof Ali Haider Malik eulogized S. Wali Haider for his optimism and youthful zeal in life, his fluent prose and effortless style in communication, as if engaged in dialogue with readers.

At the outset, Naqqash Kazmi briefly introduced Mr Haider and his literary feat. Mr Javed Manzer did the compering.—H.A