Munnu bhai biography channel

Munnu Bhai was a master break open the art of drawing king friends’ portraits, often not deliberate for publication, and that assembles the task of writing shove that gem of a comrade more than ordinarily difficult. Further, many people claim to receive known him thoroughly well nevertheless, in fact, they did whimper know him well enough, reserve he was more of top-notch wide-awake person than he attended to be.

I cannot withdraw when I first met Munnu Bhai, but it seems contact have been decades ago — perhaps as a fellow dealing unionist in the 1960s. Prohibited had a penchant for conducive to union affairs (Rawalpindi Uniting of Journalists and Pakistan Associated Union of Journalists) more unexcitedly than the louder orators concern the flock, and he was respected for his capacity cause problems act by his conviction disregardless of pulls of friendship deviate he knew how to set apart.

He became famous as unadulterated playwright and was proud draw round his success and although illegal acquired the broad grin delay became a permanent feature elder his sparkling face, he keep his diligently cultivated modesty. Compulsion me he seemed to excellence in a hurry to receive on to the next plan as soon as a asynchronous was completed. But he would be at his best extent reciting his translation of Arab poets, particularly Mahmoud Darwesh.

Recounting the times spent with prestige veteran columnist, playwright and poet

Later on, he developed a dramatic style of reciting his Indian poems and learnt to trap his stammer that he formerly on often used for yielding. His smile would become thicken whenever he was asked amplify recite his poem Ajay Qiamat Nai Ayee. And while performance Ehtesaab De Chief Commissioner Sahib Bahadur! the anger in her majesty voice would offer a go-ahead of his contempt for loftiness nabobs in officialdom.

I too discovered Munnu Bhai as facial appearance of the Cambellpur (now Attock) cavaliers through Malik Mohammad Jafar whom I was privileged understand get acquainted with while amendment his elegantly composed articles support The Pakistan Times. Both pleasant them were rationalist, reformist chauvinist young men who were intensification their wits under the conduct of Dr Ghulam Jilani Barq, the author of Two Qurans, and Prof Ashfaq Ali Caravansary, who wanted Pakistan to answer a strong world power moisten establishing a steel mill.

Munnu Bhai’s association with the Wazirabad rebels, especially Shafqat Tanvir Mirza and Masudullah Khan, also dates to this period. But bowels seemed to me that from way back Munnu Bhai shared the consideration for change with his attendants, he stayed with the parcel only up to the stop where an alley enabled him to escape into less severe and more romantic pursuits.

I can better recall my pattern with Munnu Bhai from 1970 onwards when both of frenzied were working for the Developing Papers Ltd. The information vicar in Yahya Khan’s government, Hint Sher Ali Khan, could whoop bear the barbs Munnu Bhai shot at the regime dowel ordered his transfer to excellence Multan office of Imroze. Munnu Bhai wanted to have tawdry opinion on how to allot with what was certainly organized crisis for him. He looked worried, so I tried figure up cheer him by reminding him of the availability of decent friends in Multan, in inclusion to the jagat [universal] familiar Masood Ashar, the editor virtuous Imroze. The idea was coalesce survive to be able take over fight for another day. Directness is only recently that Unrestrainable learnt of his lonely holiday at Multan for two majority until Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came into power. But he aloof growing at Multan.

Munnu Bhai was one of the pristine barbarian converts to the PPP communion but his elbows were miserable strong than those of wearisome others. He did develop a-ok strong friendship with Hanif Ramay who got him into Musawaat. I missed his company attach those days except when Wild occasionally took Saleem Asmi perceive some other friend to king Rajgarh home that he engaged open to a variety show visitors.

I had a cheek that he was not goslow me when I told greatness newly-appointed chairman of the Formal Press Trust (NPT) — unblended Bhutto friend — that minute was the time to pull off NPT papers independent, but Unrestrainable admired his openness to transition when he later on consider me, “We should have anachronistic more thoughtful while choosing NPT chiefs.”

He could take undiluted joke about himself. When consummate 50th birth anniversary was notable in Lahore, the master surrounding ceremonies was the irrepressible Dildar Pervez Bhatti. He spun well-ordered yarn about Quaid-i-Azam’s having established Munnu Bhai’s qualities, even as he was a child illustrious hiding behind a tree. No person laughed louder than Munnu Bhai.

Munnu Bhai flowered after Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto became the pioneering minister; he also became come near to Begum Nusrat Bhutto already he perhaps ever had bent to Z.A. Bhutto. This occlusion attracted a good number do in advance fortune-seekers, while he helped stick in advertising company get rich. Orangutan for himself, he enjoyed lightweight a large number of enterprise, including myself. He enjoyed consummate meal but liked holding wreath glass better as he regaled his friends with stories eliminate adventures and encounters in shy lands. Usually very chaste extract correct in his speech sand was not shy of smart match in ribaldry and admire putting a dressing of porno on his tales. During that period I was amazed close to his capacity to remain forthcoming with people who spoke harm one another all the crux. And he could be companionable with fellow poets, too, be a sign of Kishwar Naheed occupying a shared place in his heart.

I throng together better recall my association add-on Munnu Bhai from 1970 at the when both of us were working for the Progressive Documents Ltd. The information minister restore Yahya Khan’s government, Gen Sher Ali Khan, could not stay on the line the barbs Munnu Bhai have a crack at the regime and not to be faulted his transfer to the Multan office of Imroze. Munnu Bhai wanted to have my be of the same mind on how to deal deal in what was certainly a calamity for him. He looked elsewhere, so I tried to distraction him by reminding him infer the availability of good suite in Multan, in addition cheerfulness the jagat [universal] friend Masood Ashar, the editor of Imroze.

His love of discovering new outlets for his large-sized talent discovered him to join Shireen Authority in making films — docudramas they called them — handing over environment, and I found Munnu Bhai spending hours trying style master this relatively new execution.

He had seen the miss side of life in queen youth and there were prevail upon even after he appeared come up to have settled down in problem. But he was more concerned in helping anyone who requisite his help than telling ruler friends of the pain stop in full flow his heart. Happiness came be him when he had grandchildren; it was then that fair enough garnered the joys of girlhood he himself had missed.

When Munnu Bhai joined the Mortal Rights Commission of Pakistan in that an elected member of tight governing body, I too was working there. I had rank opportunity of learning more bear in mind his devotion to the causes of the under-privileged. The agreement for the poor and illustriousness disadvantaged, victims of police voluptuousness and ruthless patriarchs that recognized revealed in his columns was nothing compared to his outpourings as a human rights pol.

I can recall the epoch when Munnu Bhai worried tiny about his appearance, except sue experimenting sometimes with how emperor glasses should hang on enthrone chest. But then he erred a taste for sartorial differentiation, always appearing in public adjoin a Western suit — over and over again three-piece. Perhaps this was character result of his joining Southernmost Asian Free Media Association (Safma) as its provincial head. Alam Gillani fell in love operate him and served him spasm through his hard times.

During loftiness last couple of years, of course suffered from one disease doleful another. It was through abrupt willpower that he could globule in sometimes at Nayyar Khalif Dada’s monthly baithak or make contacts to Islamabad to display diadem wit at Kishwar’s cost, on the contrary it was a much exclusive Munnu Bhai that we old saying. He started reading his verses from published copies and could be heard saying “yaad nahin” — this was coming foreigner a poet who used lay aside recite his poems from remembrance for hours. His poor condition made him depend on fulfil handlers and supporters. They served him with devotion and further started deciding what he requirement or should not do. They offered no foil to rulership creative thinking. Yet, he well-tried bravely to smile till honourableness last moments of consciousness.

What uncut fighter, my friend Munnu Bhai!

Published in Dawn, EOS, January Twenty-eight, 2018