ISLAMABAD, May 11: Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with Avtek organized a programme to mark the second death anniversary of the humorous poet Zamir Jafri on Friday.

The organizers did a good job of it in the National Library auditorium which was packed to capacity with Mr Jafri’s admirers. The inimitable media personality, Anwar Maqsud, compered the programme and enhanced its majesty by his comments.

Mr Maqsud reflected on the late poet’s collected works in which he comes out not only as a humorous poet but also as a prose writer and a serious commentator of events.

Sarfaraz Shahid, a poet writing in the same vein as the deceased poet, commented that Mr Jafri had satirized the society with his witty remarks which were in the same class as those of Dilawar Figar and Mushtaq Yusufi.

Renowned poet Shabnam Shakeel highlighted the poet’s simplicity, honesty and patriotism. She said the country had always topped his list of priorities.

Highlighting the late poet’s sense of honesty, Ms Shakeel said that his first wife’s dowry included 100 Tola of gold in a well-sewn bundle which, however, remained unopened and was returned by Mr Jafri to her mother on her death.

Pakistan Academy of Letter chairman Iftikhar Arif dwelt on Mr Jafri’s elegant prose in his four recently published diaries that contain perceptive observations on national events.

Eminent singers such as Tina Sani, Fareeha Pervez, Humera Channa and Ustad Asad Amanat Ali Khan enthralled the audience with their melodious renditions of Mr Jafri’s poems. Organizers told this reporter that the selection of poems was made by Maj- Gen Ehtesham Jafri, the poet’s son, and the music composed by Mujahid Husain. The performance of Lahore flutist Abid Pappu and drummer Mohammad Ajmal (on Tabla) was also well appreciated.—Jonaid Iqbal