PESHAWAR: Urdu poet and research scholar Prof Nazeer Tabassum died of cardiac arrest during an Urdu poetry recitation session at Peshawar Services Club (PSC) on Saturday evening, family sources and close associates confirmed. He was 75.

Literary and cultural organisations termed his death an irreparable loss to Urdu literature and literary circles across the country at large. Being a versatile personality, he was a poet par excellence, fictionist, playwright, critic and a research scholar.

According to a participant of the event, he chaired the mushaira, photographed with literati and engaged in chit-chat on the stage followed by his sudden collapse.

He was rushed to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where doctors pronounced him dead. He left behind three sons and two daughters.

His funeral was held here on Sunday. He was laid to rest in Nazar Bostan graveyard. A large number of literati, intellectuals, teachers, students and delegates from parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended his funeral.

Prof Nazeer Tabassum was born in 1950 in the walled-city and grew up among galaxy of poets, writers and unbiased intellectuals. He received his early education from Government High School No 1 and went to Government College Peshawar. He did his masters and PhD in Urdu literature from department urdu, University of Peshawar. He served as teacher at Urdu department of UoP and got superannuation from there in 2010.

Mr Tabassum groomed up a host of young bards and mentored a large number of research scholars through his active participation in literary events as he remained part of several literary associations and cultural bodies including progressive writers association and Halqa-i-Arbab Zauq Peshawar. He was considered a strong literary voice of Peshawarites.

He would always be surrounded by young poets, writers and fans owing to his sense of intellectual humour. His poetry laden with romanticism, diversity and peace impacted everybody, who came across him.

He was recipient of Tamagh-i- Imtiaz for his illustrious contributions in the field of literature. The veteran poet had brought out two poetry collections titled ‘Udaas Mat Huna’ and ‘Musam Abhi Nahi Badla’. He contributed countless research articles and features to Urdu and Hindko magazines on variety of topics alongside plays for radio and PTV.

His close associates told this scribe the poet was known for his unique style of expression and was true to his penname ‘Tabassum’ (smile) as a welcoming smile would always decorate his face.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2025