ISLAMABAD: Poets, writers, former colleagues and members of the Parveen Shakir Trust gathered on Friday to mark the 31st death anniversary of Pakistan’s celebrated poet Parveen Shakir.
The participants assembled at her grave in the H-8 graveyard, where they offered Fateha and paid homage to her literary legacy. A contingent of Pakistan Customs, led by Assistant Collector Shazra Saeed, also attended the ceremony and laid floral wreaths at the grave.
Members of the trust, including Riffat Haider, Dr Rubina Siddique, Salman Nabi, Muhammad Siddique, Majid Qureshi and Anwar Jahangiri, along with a large number of admirers, paid rich tributes to the poet. Speakers recalled her life, personality and enduring contribution to Urdu literature.
Addressing the gathering, PST Chairperson Parveen Qadir Agha briefed the media on the trust’s ongoing literary initiatives, including the annual Aks-e-Khushbu Award, which is presented in Parveen Shakir’s name to young writers, poets and translators.
She said the trust would continue to preserve Parveen Shakir’s legacy through mushairas, seminars and literary dialogues, alongside the annual award for excellence in poetry and fiction. She added that another literary event is planned for February next year.
Salman Nabi noted that the trust was expanding its activities beyond Pakistan, highlighting that the Parveen Shakir Festival was held in Canada last year by the PST Canada Chapter, with plans under way for a similar literary festival in Malaysia.
Assistant Collector Shazra Saeed said it was an honour to lay a wreath at the grave of Parveen Shakir, whom she described as a strong voice for women’s emotions and experiences. Her father, poet Rana Saeed Akhtar, recited Parveen Shakir’s poetry on the occasion and described her as a role model for younger generations, particularly girls.
Admirers of the poet also pledged to continue promoting her message, especially among the youth.
Parveen Shakir died in a tragic car accident on December 26, 1994. Her poetry collections, including Khushbu, continue to be widely read and remain among the most popular works in Urdu literature.
