The Pakistani expatriate community in Qatar, in general, and Urdu lovers, in particular, continue to remember late Dr Fartash Syed, who was a known poet and former Urdu teacher, first with Pak Shamaa School (PSS) and later with Pakistan International School – Qatar (PIS-Q). Dr Fartash died of Covid-19 in Pakistan on April 18.
Pakistan Arts Society – Qatar (PAS-Q), literary and cultural organisation of Pakistani community, recently organised an online condolence programme titled ‘Yad e Dr Fartash Syed’.
The event included discussion on Dr Fartash by prominent figures in Qatar and also featured video messages from his daughter, friends, colleagues, pupils and known poets from different countries.
Talking to Gulf Times, Adeel Akbar, PAS-Q general secretary, said the event was arranged in a manner that included people who had interacted with Dr Fartash at different levels.
“The participants included family member, friends, colleagues, students and known Urdu poets.”
From Qatar, the condolence programme was attended by Mohamed Abrar Hussain, president, PAS-Q; Adeel Akbar, general secretary, PAS-Q; Dr Faisal Hanif, Dr Fartash’s student at PSS and chairman of Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar; Mohamed Rafiq Shad Akolvi, president, Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar; Mushfiq Raza Naqvi, friend; and Anwar Ali Rana, ex-chairman, Sohni Dharti.
The video and audio condolence messages of the following people were included in the event: Amjad Islam Amjad, celebrated poet, playwright and columnist from Pakistan; Abbas Tabish, known Urdu poet from Pakistan; Basir Sultan Kazmi, Urdu poet from UK; Dr Sughra Sadaf, director general, Punjab Institute of Language, Art & Culture; Rakhshanda Naveed, poet and writer from Pakistan; Nabila Kaukab, principal, PSS and ex-colleague of Dr Fartash; Mohamed Atiq, chairman, Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab – a world-renowned Qatar-based Urdu literary organisation; Capt. Sarwat Hussain Retd, Dr Fartash’s friend from Pakistan; Bilal Amanullah Moti, assistant professor at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and friend of Dr Fartash; Syeda Sehrish Fartash Naqvi, Dr Fartash’s daughter; Zaheer Alvi, Dr Fartash’s student at school from Philadelphia, US; Tabish Zaidi, friend of Dr Fartash from UAE; Raza Hussain, teacher at PSS and ex-colleague; Mohamed Iqbal Mohal, teacher at PSS and ex-colleague; Qaisar Masood, teacher at PIS-Q; Shafique Akhtar, ex-PSS teacher from Bhawalnagar, Pakistan; Qamar Riaz, friend of Dr Fartash from Oman; Sulaiman Dehlvi, founder of Indo-Qatar Urdu Markaz from India; Sajjad Naeem, professor at Islamia University of Bahawalpur; and Dr Sahir Shafiq, professor at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.
At the beginning of the programme, Adeel Akbar read out a message from M A Shahid, chairman, PAS-Q, and president of PSS management committee. He said: “In 1992 Fartash joined the school faculty and spent 14 years with us in two stints. He was very hard working and dedicated teacher and because of his gentleness and ever smiling face he was very popular among his students.
“During his tenure at PSS, due to his Urdu poetry passion I facilitated him a lot and he could go to Pakistan or any Gulf countries to participate in poetry sessions and literary programmes. I felt very sad when I heard about his sudden and sad demise.”
Dr Fartash’s daughter, Syeda Sehrish Fartash Naqvi, started her video message by remembering her late father with the poetry Dr Fartash wrote on the death of his father. “He was a loving and caring father, who always gave respect to his children.
“We all siblings were associated with our father more than our mother. He always told us that to be a successful person in any field of life one has to be a good human being first. He played all his roles in life as son, brother, father, and friend very beautifully.”
Dr Fartash Syed was his pen name for poetry. His original name was Fazal Hussain. He was born on April 15, 1967 in Ludan, Vehari district. He is survived by his wife, son and five daughters.
Fartash came to Qatar and joined PSS as Urdu teacher in 1992. In 2000, he left for Pakistan, but came back in 2002 and worked for the same school till 2008. After returning to Pakistan in 2008, he completed his MPhil and then started to study for PhD.
In 2011, he returned to Qatar and joined PIS-Q. At the end of December, 2018, he resigned from the school and left for Pakistan for completing his PhD which he did in six months. He was teaching at the Urdu department of Government College Lahore as an assistant professor.
Fartash’s first collection of poetry, titled Har Warq Par Usi Ka Naam was printed in 1992.
His second book, titled as Fazai e Adab was printed in 2000 and was included in syllabus courses of schools.
His first collection of ghazals, under the name of Hashiya was printed in 2009.
His latest two books titled Jadeed Urdu Ghazal – Sheriat-o-Uroodiyat and Barmala – a collection of poetry – are under print.