The literary and cultural organization ‘Zaviyah’ and the Academy of Letters, Pakistan jointly organized a book launch ceremony compiled by Dr. Mehnaz Anjum and Farzand Ali Hashmi. The book is a collection of the renowned poet and critic, the late Shahzad Azhar’s unpublished poetry, critical essays, and translation of the english poems. The ceremony was held at the Academy of Letters, Pakistan, Islamabad.
Iftikhar Arif presided over the ceremony, while Dr. Waheed Ahmed and Dr. Arshad Mahmood Nashad were the chief guests. Iftikhar Arif said that Shahzad Azhar was a master of translation and had a deep understanding of literature. He added that Shahzad Azhar’s translations of Ezra Pound, Pablo Neruda, and Aijaz Rahim’s poems were so creative that they seemed like original works. He praised Shahzad Azhar’s critical essays, saying that they revealed his keen understanding of literature.
Dr. Waheed Ahmed said that Shahzad Azhar was a lucky person to have had friends like Dr. Mehnaz Anjum and Farzand Ali Hashmi, who compiled his works with dedication and love. He added that Shahzad Azhar was a dynamic person.
Dr. Arshad Mahmood Nashad said that Shahzad Azhar was a moving and dynamic person who was loved by everyone. He praised the compilers of the book, Dr. Mehnaz Anjum and Farzand Ali Hashmi, for their efforts in compiling the book.
Other speakers, including Dr. Ravish Nadeem, Dr. Humera Ashfaq, and Munir Fayyaz, also praised the book and Shahzad Azhar’s legacy. Dr. Ravish Nadeem said that editing a book is a difficult task, and selecting and arranging the content requires hard work.
Dr. Humera Ashfaq said that every book has a reason for its creation, and in her opinion, the reason for this book’s creation was love and a sense of responsibility. Munir Fayyaz said that Shahzad Azhar’s ghazals in the book were a continuation of his previous work, and he had a unique style of writing.
Dr. Mehnaz Anjum said that Shahzad Azhar was a complete artist, and his poetry and prose were both excellent. She added that his poetry was a reflection of his deep understanding of literature. Farzand Ali Hashmi said that Shahzad Azhar was a unique poet and writer, and his poetry and prose were both original and creative. He added that there were possibilities for further research on Shahzad Azhar’s work.
