munir niazi: I am always late: reading منیر نیازی: ہمیشہ دیر کر دیتا ہوں

The Poet: Muhammad Munir Khan محمد منیر خان, commonly known as Munir Niazi منیر نیازی (takhallus: منیر Munir) was born on 19 April 1928 in Khanpur خانپور, which was then a small town adjacent to Hoshiarpur ہوشیارپور, Punjab, British India. When Munir was 2 months old, his father Fateh Muhammad Khan فتح محمد خان passed away. His mother, Rasheeda Begum رشیدہ بیگم, then married a younger brother of her late husband. Munir started his education in Khanpur. At age 7, he moved to Montgomery (now Sahiwal, in Pakistan), where his family had a business interest. He passed his Matriculation (10th Grade) exam from Government High School, Montgomery. Then he moved to Amritsar for his education. His uncle was a Colonel in the British Indian Army. With his efforts, Munir joined the Royal Indian Navy. However, that job was not suited to his nature and so he ran away. He was apprehended and prosecuted, but deserted again. He hid for a while in Montgomery, and then in Hasilpur. This loneliness is believed to left a mark on his personality and contributed towards his creativity. He passed his Intermediate Exam (12th Grade) from Bahawalpur, following which he was enrolled at the Dyal Singh College, Lahore, for his Bachelors. Then he moved to Srinagar, Kashmir, and then to Jallandhar. He was in his second year BA at Islamia College Jallandhar, when his education got interrupted in 1947, which he could never complete.

He moved to Montgomery, Punjab, following the creation of Pakistan, and started Arzhang Publishers ارژنگ پبلشرز, a publishing company. He also started Saat Rang سات رنگ, a weekly literary magazine. In Montgomery he was close to مجید امجد Majeed Amjad (1914-1974) and was influenced by his poetry. In 1950 Munir Niazi moved to Lahore. He first resided in Model Town, then in the Township. He became a member of Halqa-e Arbaab-e Zauq حلقۂ اربابِ ذوق, and worked as a secretary of its Lahore chapter. In Lahore he started two Publishing Companies, Al-Misaal المثال, and Maktaba-e Munir مکتبۂ منیر, but both were not successful. He wrote columns, translations, and travelogues, but it was his poetry which made him famous.

He started writing poetry at Islamia College Jallandhar, and wrote for the college magazine Mujahid. His first poem in Pakistan was Barsaat برسات, which was published in 1949. He did not have a formal استاد ustad (poetry teacher). He had a very independent personality and liked solitude. He could never accept a particular condition or situation for a long time. These characteristics are also reflected in his poetry. He had an attractive personality. He married twice, and had no children. His first wife, Sughra Khanum, to whom he was married in his teens, passed away in 1985. His second marriage was with Naheed in 1995. He passed away in Lahore on 26 December 2006.

His publications include: Tez Havaa Aur Tanha Phool تیز ہوا اور تنہا پھول, Jangal Mein Dhanak جنگل میں دھنک, Dushmanon Ke Darmiaan Shaam دشمنوں کے درمیان شام, Maah-e munir ماہِ منیر, Chhey Rangeen Darwaazey چھ رنگین دروازے, Aaghaaz-e Zamistaan Mein Dobarah آغازِ زمستان میں دوبارہ, Sa'at-e Sayyaar ساعتِ سیّار, Safar Di Raat سفر دی رات (Punjabi), Char Chup Cheezaan چار چپ چیزاں (Punjabi), Rasta Dassan Waaley Taarey رستہ دسّن والے تارے (Punjabi), and works in prose. For his services in literature, he was awarded the Sitara-e Imtiaz ستارۂ امتیاز by the Government of Pakistan.

Reference: This description is mostly based on an Urdu article by Amjad Tufail امجد طفیل.

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