Zubair Qureshi
Twin cities’ poets, writers and intellectuals on Monday expressed their deep sorrow and grief over the sudden death of fellow poet and Assistant Director of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Dr Ali Yasir. In a condolence message, PAL Chairman Muhammd Salman held Ali Yasir’s death a great loss to the academy as well as his family and poets community.
He breathed his last a day earlier on Sunday after a severe heart attack. Ali Yasir is survived by three sons and a daughter and was buried in his ancestral graveyard on Monday in Gujranwala.
“Dr Ali Yasir,” PAL chairman said, “was a prolific poet and a distinguished officer of the PAL and had established his credentials as writer, researcher, critic, translator, radio and TV writer and anchor person.”
PAL officers and staff are also devastated by the sudden death of their colleague and said they would always miss his smile, the gentle behaviour with which Ali Yasir received and met everyone.
Director General of the National Language Promotion Departmetn, Dr Rashid Hamid also expressed his grief and shock over the death of Ali Yasir saying he was a soft-spoken, widely-read poet whose verses were mild and soaked in love and romance. Besides establishing his identity as a romantic poet, Ali Yasir was also known for successfully conducting poetic recital sessions and hosting/conducting poetry recital sessions.
Dr Ali Yasir, 44, also conducted several TV programmes on literature and also represented Pakistan at various international poetic sessions. Poet Tariq Naeem while describing the loss a heavy blow said it was the worst news he received in decades about the sudden death of a fellow poet and a dear friend.
Dr Ali Yasser was born on December 13, 1976 in Gujranwala and after formal education did his MA in Urdu from Punjab University Lahore. After completing his M.Phil in Urdu from Allama Iqbal University, he got his PhD on the subject of “Urdu Ghazal main Tasawar-e-Fana-o-Baqa”. Ali Yasir holds the position of Assistant Director of PAL.
He was also affiliated with the media and hosted radio and TV programs
He wrote many documentary films scripts and songs for PTV. As a translator, he translated English and Punjabi into Urdu, including “Chinese love poems” and “Noble Lectures.”
Ali Yasi’s first collection of ghazals “Irada” was published in 2007, the second collection titled was “Ghazal Batay Gi” was published in 2016.Ali Yasir compiled the “Ehl-e-Qalam Directory” in 2008 and 2010.
His books under the titles of “Kuliyat-Manzoor Arif” and “Urdu Ghazal main Taswar-e-Fana-o-Baqa” are in press for printing, says the statement.
He was buried in his native town in Gujranwala. Pakistan Academy of Letters is organizing a Condolence Reference on 19th February 2020, Wednesday, at 3:00 Pm, in the conference hall of PAL, Pitras Bukhari Road, Sector H-8/1, Islamabad to pay tribute to Dr. Ali Yasir. Poets, writers and his friends will remember Dr. Ali Yasir and share their memories with the audience and participants by his feelings the personality and works of Dr. Ali Yasir.
