KARACHI: Senior poet Abrar Abid’s second poetry collection — Khamoshi Jab Kalam Karti hae — was launched on Monday at Markaz Sadat-i-Amroha.

Hosted by Naqoosh Naqvi, editor monthly Sukhanwer, the meeting was presided over by Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui and addressed by Prof Saher Ansari, Qaiser Najfi and others. Shujaat Ali Beg was the chief guest and Ali Haider Malik did the compering. They both spoke briefly on AA’s poetry.

Not a prolific writer, AA’s first collection of ghazals — Sila-i-Shauq — was published around fifteen years ago. The present volume despite being thin carries in its fold the culture of ghazal, love and respect for the people and sensitivity of the modern times.

Dr Siddiqui and Saher Ansari presented the couplets of their choice from the poetry collection, while Shujaat Ali Beg, apart from eulogizing the poetry, emphasised the need for more cultural centres in the city to keep Urdu and its literature alive.

Among those who paid tribute to AA in their verses included Sohail Ghazipuri, Shahzad Zaidi, Rais Baaghi and Parveen Haider.— HA