MFUA condolence reference pays tribute to Urdu poet

Associates, friends, colleagues and Urdu lovers remembered late Fartash Syed, a long-time resident of Qatar, Urdu teacher, and poet, recently in an online condolence reference organised by Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab (MFUA), a world-renowned Qatar-based literary Urdu organisation.
Known poets from Qatar, Pakistan, India, Canada and UK attended the condolence session and some of them shared their video messages remembering Fartash, who died of Covid-19 a few days ago in Pakistan. He was buried in his village in district Vehari of Punjab.
The online condolence reference was compered by Obaid Tahir, member of MFUA. The participants, who attended the online condolence, included: Mohamed Atiq, MFUA chairman, who presided over the meeting; Dr Peerzada Qasim Siddiqui, ex-VC Karachi University from Pakistan; Dr Shafey Kidwai, member of MFUA jury from India; Abbas Tabish, known Urdu poet from Pakistan; Dr Ambareen Hasib Ambar, chairperson Literary Committee of Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi; Nawaz Akram, president of Shaiqeen e Fun Doha – sister organisation of MFUA; Aziz Nabeel, general secretary of Anjuman Muhibban e Urdu Hind Qatar; Shahid Khan, general secretary Karwan e Urdu Qatar; and Ehsan Shahid Choudhry, known Urdu poet from London.
Those who shared their video messages were: Dr Gopi Chand Narang, head of MFUA jury from India; Dr Khursheed Rizwi, head of MFUA jury from Pakistan; Amjad Islam Amjad, renowned Urdu poet, playwright and columnist from Pakistan; professor Kazi Abid, dean at Saraiki department of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan; Shakil Jazib, Urdu poet and bureaucrat from Pakistan; Riyaz Bakkali, representative of Pakistani community in Qatar and member of MFUA; Qamar Zaman Bhatti, MFUA joint secretary; Farzana Safdar, radio presenter and Urdu poet in Qatar; Qaisar Masood, ex-colleague of late Fartash Syed in Qatar; Ruwais Mumtaz, Sanwal Abbasi, Mushfiq Raza Naqvi, Jawaid Bhatti and Zahid Shaikh, Fartash’s friends.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohamed Attiq said “Fartash association with MFUA spanned over 25 years. His death is very saddening and sudden. I recall meeting the vibrant and enthusiastic young man when he got associated with MFUA under the patronage of Malik Museeb-ur-Rehman. It was Rehman who trained Fartash to become an excellent compere for the organisation’s annual Urdu mushaira.”
The MFUA chairman added that Fartash was instrumental in arranging the annual mushaira, having contacts with poets from outside Qatar and taking care of their needs once they arrived in Qatar. “He was very focused and hardworking. He was also a prolific poet and keen Urdu teacher. His association with and services for MFUA will be remembered forever. The organisation has announced it will give 300,000 Pakistan rupees to his family for his long association with MFUA.”
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 died on April 18, 2021. Fartash is survived by his wife, son and five daughters.
Fartash, who had made his mark in Pakistan as an Urdu poet, got his early education in Ludan. He received his MA in Urdu from Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan in 1990. Later, he completed his MPhil in Urdu from the same university.
The topic of his thesis for MPhil was ‘Urdu Literary Services of ‘Majlis e Frogh e Urdu Adab, Doha, Qatar’, which was later printed in a book form in 2009. He also completed his PhD in Urdu from the same university and his thesis was on ‘A Fikri and Fanni Review of Urdu Ghazal in 21st Century’ that was printed in a book form in 2021. 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.
Fartash came to Qatar and joined the Pak Shamaa School and College as Urdu teacher in 1992.
In the year 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 Pakistan International School. At the end of December, 2018, he resigned from the school and left for Pakistan for completing his PhD and completed it in six months. He was teaching in the Urdu Department of Government College Lahore as an assistant professor.