KARACHI, Nov 8: Noted Urdu poet, Joan Elia, died here on Friday night in Ziauddin Hospital where he was admitted following a severe attack of asthma. He was 71.

He leaves behind one son and two daughters.

His body was taken to Masjid Khairul Amal in Ancholi. He will be buried on Saturday after Zuhr prayers.

A versatile poet in the classical mould, Joan Elia, had a popular command over Urdu, Arabic, Persian, English and Hebrew. Born in Amroha, India, on Dec 14, 1931, he began composing poetry at the age of eight years. He received his preliminary education at Amroha from his father Allama Shafiq Hasan Elia, a learned man of his time.

Joan Elia migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Karachi.