Islamabad, Aug 22 (IANS) Pakistani and Indian poets and writers have paid rich tributes to Qurratulain Haider – “Aini Aapa” to them – saying her death was “a huge blow to Urdu literature”.
“She was a unique writer of the present era and inspired many generations through her writings,” Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) chairman Iftikhar Arif said in a condolence message.
A renowned Urdu novelist, poet and short story writer, Haider, 80, died in New Delhi Tuesday. She had lived in Pakistan for some years, but had returned to India in the 1960s.
According to Arif, with Haider’s death, a brilliant epoch of Urdu literature had come to an end, Daily Times said Wednesday.
Quran Khwani, a prayer meeting, was conducted in Karachi on Wednesday to mourn Haider’s death.
Hearing about Haider’s death, well-known writers and poets in Karachi and elsewhere expressed their deep sorrow and grief over her demise, adding her passing was a great loss to modern Urdu literature.
Renowned Indian Urdu poet Nida Fazili told The News on telephone: “We have lost our Aini Aapa who left no stone unturned to fight religious extremism and fanaticism while rejecting the forces of repression in her writings.”
He noted that in her novel ‘Aag ka Dariya’, Haider had discussed issues like love and humanism in such a manner that fanaticism lost its influence and the people came to know about the true civilisation, culture and social knitting of the subcontinent that has a history of 5,000 years.
“Aini Aapa was held in high esteem and regard by the writers of the subcontinent as she promoted the literary trends set by Ismat Chughtai, Saadat Hasan Manto, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Krishan Chander and her other seniors and contemporaries,” Fazili stated.
Commenting on the depth of Haider’s prose, Fazli said this encompassed the social contradictions, political struggles and different cultural movements in the subcontinent.
Manazar Aashiq Harganvi, another famous Indian writer, poet and critic and author of 102 books, told The News that Aini Aapa was amongst the trendsetters and had enriched Urdu literature to a great deal.
He pointed out that in 2001 when he had visited London, Haider had presented to him an award in recognition of his literary services.
Renowned lyricist Ahmed Umer Shareef said Haider she was a writer with a distinct style that couldn’t be copied. She was the first writer whose prose critics said was written in the “stream of consciousness” style.
Noted writer Mumtaz Rafique said although all of Haider’s writings had inspired him, he was particularly fond of her “Picture Gallery”, a book containing pen-sketches.
Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain too expressed deep grief over Haider’s demise.
In a statement, Hussain said no one could fill the gap Haider’s death has created as her literary services are unparalleled.