LAHORE: A playwright par excellence, artiste and educationist Shoaib Hashmi passed away on Monday after a protracted illness. He was 85.

Hashmi was bedridden since he suffered a paralysis attack owing to brain hemorrhage in 2009. On Sunday night as his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to hospital where he spent the night going through various tests before the doctors declared him stable. However, he breathed his last at 10am at the hospital.

According to the family, the funeral prayers for the deceased will be held at 5:30pm on Tuesday (today) at the G Block Mosque of Model Town near his residence.

Shoaib Hashmi is survived by his widow, renowned painter and art teacher Salima Hashmi, and two children, Mira Hashmi and Yasir Hashmi. Mira is out of the country and she will return on Tuesday (today).

Besides being a professor at the GCU, Hashmi (1938-2023) wrote over 100 plays for television and did over 400 theatre shows, including satirical and children’s productions. He translated and adapted many films and classical plays into Urdu, including the immortal Greek tragedies. He was a regular contributor to different newspapers and wrote more than 800 articles, commenting on the topics like politics, literature, history, the media and society.

Besides winning the President’s Pride of Performance Award in 1996, Hashmi got Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (1971). He was also awarded the Outstanding Merit Award in the Japan Prize Festival in 1974.

Since the news of his death broke, condolence messages had been pouring in from various cultural institutions, individuals and arts councils.

Shahid Nadeem of Ajoka, in his condolence message, said: “Shoaib Hashmi was truly a renaissance man, a playwright, a performer, a teacher and a very enjoyable company. He was a pioneer in the art and culture scene. His contribution in making the Government College Dramatic Club (GCDC) a major influence in the development of modern theatre is remarkable.”

Shoaib Hashmi’s unique sense of humour, a blend of Lahori wit and western sarcasm, would be very hard to match, Nadeem said and added that Hashmi was an inspiration for him and his late wife, Madeeha Gauhar.

Founder and CEO of the LLF, Razi Ahmed, said: “Shoaib Sahib’s life will continue to be celebrated through the torchbearers he mentored in theatre, film and literature”.

Caretaker Minister for Information and Culture Amir Mir also sent a condolence message on Hashmi’s death, saying the late Hashmi was not only a great playwright but also an artiste and an educationist of great caliber. His services would always be remembered for what he did to promote art and culture.

The Lahore Arts Council also sent a condolence message, remembering tremendous achievements of Hashmi in art and culture. He remained the secretary of Alhamra in the 1960s when it used to be Pakistan Alhamra Academy.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2023