News International

GUJRAT: Punjabi poet and intellectual Prof Sharif Kunjahi died of cardiac arrest here Saturday night. He was 98.

His funeral prayers will be offered at main ground Marghzar Colony at 2 pm today. He was the author of 35 books in Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and English language. He also translated the holy Quran in Punjabi language which was published in two volumes. The poetry of Sharif Kunjahi is the part of the syllabus of master classes of Punjab University. The government had bestowed him with the award of Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Nishan-e-Gujrat whereas the World Punjabi Congress had honoured him with the lifetime achievement award.

Prof Sharif Kunjahi was born in the town of Kunjah some 15 km off Gujrat, and his father Ghulam Mohiuddin was an educationist and his maternal grandfather Muhammad Din was the ‘Khateeb’ at Shahdaula Mosque and was the witness of the first ‘Nikah’ of Allama Iqbal. Some 10 books have also been written by different authors on the services and struggle of Prof Sharif Kunjahi. He will be buried in the compound of the mazar of Ghanimat Kunjahi, according to his wish at his hometown.