MIANWALI: Renowned fiction writer Muhammad Hamid Siraj passed away on Wednesday after a prolonged battle with cancer at his native village Khanqah Sirajia, 20 kilometres from here. He was 61.

His funeral will be held on Thursday (today) at 10am and he will be buried in his ancestral graveyard.

He has left behind two sons, two daughters and a widow.

Mr Siraj was born on Oct 21, 1958, in Khanqah Sirajia village of Mianwali district to a religious family of Sahibzada Muhammad Arif. He was the grandson of renowned spiritual leader Maulana Ahmad Khan, whose shrine attracts thousands of devotees.

Siraj retired as an engineer from the Chashma nuclear power plant over a year ago.

He was recognised in the literary circles for his fiction and short story writing. Some of his books included Barae Farokht, Aashob Nigah, Bakhia Gari, Chobdaar, Waqt Ki Faseel, Hamare Baba Gee Hazrat Maulana Khawaja Khan Muhammad, Majmooa Muhammad Hamid Siraj, Aalmi Sab Rang Afsane and Naqsh Gar.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has condoled the death of Hamid Siraj. He termed the death a loss to the literary circles of the country.

He prayed for the departed soul as well as the bereaved family.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019