Requiem for prolific journalist and poet, Kaleem Omar

ISLAMABAD: The life and career of the prolific writer, distinguished journalist and remarkable poet Kaleem Omar (KO) was celebrated at a memorial meeting at the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) here on Thursday.
Prof Alamgir Hashmi presided over the event.
Former Cabinet Secretary Ejaz Rahim, who has published three collection of English poetry and was chief guest, said though KO's ‘edifying poetry’ made the world a happier place and earned him fame, his prose too was exquisite as if he had chiseled words to produce a fine sculpture.
He particularly enjoyed KO's jibes at the bureaucracy, and quoted a few of the definitions he had coined. He also found ‘some of the most profound and compassionate studies about micro-finance’ in KO’s journalistic writings.
In a strange coincidence, just when Ejaz Rahim was referring to KO’s verse ‘hooking another life’ dealing with the question of philosophy and his poetical discourse regarding life and death, the audience learnt of the suicide bomber's ugly work in Rawalpindi.
Prof Alamgir Hashmi felt that the audience was really paying respect to a wonderful poet whose stature would be determined not only by this generation, but by generations to come. ‘We will always value him,’ he said, going back to the time when he first struck friendship with KO in the gloom of the fall of Dacca.
They continued to meet at Lahore, in Europe, and at Harvard where they would read poetry together and organise poetry workshops. He wanted Kaleem Omar's life and his poetical collections to be thoroughly researched and recorded.
Prof Mubina Talat of the Islamic University pleaded for organising English literature syllabus with samplings from contemporary Pakistani-English writings ‘to include a taste for our own ethos and culture’. KO would find an important place in that kind of syllabi, she said.
PAL’s director general Yasser Iqbal spoke of KO’s childlike simplicity, also recording the fact that the poet and journalist did not manage to get over the agony of the loss of East Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion Journalist Azhar Masood, referred to his association with KO in the PTV, as well as in The Muslim newspaper, which once used to be published from the federal capital, and remarked that his dispatches about ‘Ideas II’ showed KO an expert on modern weaponry, and has never been equaled even by foreign journalists.Poet Khurram compered the obituary reference.

By Jonaid Iqbal

Readers share heartfelt tributes to their fathers, their friends

He helped you catch your first baseball. He taught you how to drive. He showed you the difference between right and wrong.
But, at some point, you stopped calling him to help you move and started asking him out for beer. Rather than discuss your hopes and dreams, he opened up about his. You had become friends with your father.
With Father's Day approaching, we asked readers to submit letters discussing why their dad was their friend. People responded with childhood stories about their dad, his sacrifices, what they learned form him, and, most of all, why he ranks among their best pals.
— Jessica Yadegaran
The best part about becoming an adult was becoming friends with my dad. I am lucky that we live minutes from each other and that he is retired. I love going on road trips with him, hanging out at Peet's Coffee, or just watching him play with my two boys. He's the best dad a girl could ask for, not too mention the best grandfather.
Whether we're sitting in the car in comfortable silence or hanging out with the kids at the park, being with him makes anything enjoyable. He's instilled in me to always be nice to everyone, read as much as you can, and always vote ("It's your civic duty!"). I love you, Dad. Thank you for being you.

Simone Wells, Danville