ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: A number of literary personalities of the capital city on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of eminent Urdu critic, editor, essayist, editor, homourist and poet Dr Wazir Agha (1922-2010) who passed away in Sargodha on Tuesday. Among those who expressed their condolences include Islamic University Rector, Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik; the Pakistan Academy of Letters Chairman, Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Chairman Iftikhar Arif, eminent short story writers Mansha Yad and Hameed Shahid, Halqa-i-Arbab Zauq Secretary General Manzar Naqvi, poet Yasir Iqbal, as well as other literary personaliities including poets, and writers.

PAL Chairman's condolence message said, Dr Wazir Agha gave a new sense of direction to Urdu critics and introduced a new veneer in poetry and insights in criticism as well as essays on structuralism. Wazir Agha published 17 collections of poetry, 5 collections of essays and 22 books on criticism and research.

He was the founder of the literary magazine “Auraq” which traversed a new path in the history of modern Urdu literature. —A Reporter