LAHORE: A poetry collection titled, Soz-i-Daroon, by Dr Kausar Jamal Cheema was launched at Cosmopolitan Club, Lawrence Garden, on Friday.

The launch was arranged by Sanjh Publications and it was presided over by noted poet and writer Nazir Qaiser.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Farkhanda Amjad said the collection was Kausar Jamal’s maiden effort in poetry but her poetry was extremely good. She said the collection was bilingual as it was divided into two sections; Urdu and Punjabi.

Gulnar Tabassum said she knew Kausar when she was the principal of her college in Kasur. She threw light on the academic brilliance and diversity of the poet, her professionalism as the college principal and her style of poetry. She said it was good to see a large audience at a book launch as the book reading culture was on decline.

Dr Mujahida Butt said Kausar’s poetry depicted the sociopolitical conditions as a woman and a poet and she had described the feelings of a woman. Butt said the poet was working on a Punjabi poetry collection also, which would be launched in the near future.

Dr Shahida Dilawar Shah said it was good to see that a poetry collection by a woman poet was launched, claiming that fewer women were writing poetry now. She said Kausar’s poetry focused on the society and her own feelings and passion and added that the poetry collection was also replete with the memories of the poet’s friends and relatives, especially in the foreword of the book.

Shehzad Nayyer said though the Urdu poetry written by the poet was of great substance, her Punjabi poetry seemed to have more flow and resonance.

Kausar Jamal Cheema thanked her friends and relatives for encouraging her to write poetry. She said she believed in humanity and love and added that love for human beings and positivity in life were the ways to a happy life. The poet read out poetry from her book.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023