Naseer Turabi


Naseer Turabi was a Pakistani Urdu language poet.
Playback singer Ahmed Rushdi played a significant role in Turabi's success and helped popularize his ghazals.

Early life and career

Naseer Turabi was born in Hyderabad Deccan on 15 June 1945. His father, Allama Rasheed Turabi, was a religious scholar.
Turabi came to Pakistan with his family after the independence of Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Karachi. He finished his basic education in 1962 and received his M.A. in Mass Communications from University of Karachi in 1968.
Turabi was friends with fellow poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Nasir Kazmi, and Mustufa Zaidi.
He began writing poetry in 1962. His first collection of poetry, Aks-e-Faryadi, was published in 2000. He wrote two other books: Laaraib and Sheyriaat.
Pakistani singer Abida Parveen provided vocal rendering for his poem Woh hamsafar tha. This ghazal was written in response to the fall of Dhaka. It was later used as a theme song for the TV drama series Humsafar in.
He also wrote lyrics for the theme song "Dil Ka Jo Mol Chukatay Honge" of Mol and Zindagi Gulzar Hai drama series. He has also written lyrics of Dil Aitebaar for Khwab Saraye and for Yaqeen Ka Safar OST.

Death

Naseer Turabi died in Karachi on January 10, 2021, at age 75 due to a heart attack and respiratory issues. He was interred at the Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard in Karachi where his friend, Mustafa Zaidi is also buried.

Accomplishments

عکسِ فریادی

Aks-e-Faryadi A widely acclaimed collection of modern Urdu ghazals, reflecting themes of loss, memory, and socio-political consciousness. It remains Turabi’s most recognized work.

شاعریات

Sheriyat A reflective work exploring the theoretical foundations and aesthetics of Urdu poetry, including Turabi’s insights into poetic structure, form, and metaphor.

لا رَیب

Laara'ib A collection of devotional poetry, including naʿat, manqabat, and salaam, paying tribute to sacred Islamic figures through lyrical verse.

لغتِ عوام

Lughat-ul-Awam A dictionary of colloquial Urdu expressions and vernacular idioms, offering a sociolinguistic perspective on common speech and evolving popular usage.