KARACHI, Nov 30: A literary reference was held at the City Officers Club at Kashmir Road to pay tribute to poet Ziaul Haq Qasmi.

The meeting was organized by the Academy of Letters, Sindh, and was presided over by columnist S.M. Moin Qureshi.

Speakers paid tributes to the late Mr Qasmi, who was not only a great humour poet but had pioneered various forums and publications to help humour writing survive.

“He created conducive environment for humour literature and poetry and had formally got this form of prose and poetry recognized,” said a speaker.

The speakers said humour poet had not been taken seriously in the past but the late Qasmi gave them an identity.

Amirul Islam Hashmi and Khayal Afaqi were among the speakers while Saleha Kausar and Sirajul Munir paid poetic tribute to the late poet.

Meanwhile, at the same venue, a literary evening was held in the honour of Rawalpindi-based poet Ubair Amar and the programme was presided over by Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui.

Prof Shabnam Siddiqui, Sarwar Jawed and others said Amar was a progressive poet who had equal command on nazm and ghazal.