Zamir Jafri

Syed Zamir Jafri (Urdu: سيد ضمير شاه جعفري) (January 1, 1916 – May 12, 1999) was a Pakistani poet, writer, social critic, comedian, columnist, broadcaster and telecaster.[1] He was best-known for his work revolved around his Urdu poetry.[2][3]

Syed Zamir Jafri
Photo of Syed Zamir Jafri a Pakistani Poet.
Born	(1916-01-01)January 1, 1916 Chak Abdul Khaliq, Dina Jehlum, Punjab, Pakistan
Died	May 12, 1999(1999-05-12) (aged 83) Islamabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation	Major (Retd.), Urdu poet, Scholar
Alma mater	Islamia College, Lahore
Genre	Humorous poetry
Notable works	"Maa fizzamir"(humorous poetry),"Nishat e tama' etc
Children	Maj. Gen. (Retired) Syed Ehtesham Zamir Jafri

Syed Zamir Jafri was born in a Syed family. He was the father of former Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Chief Syed Ehtesham Zamir. His native village, Chak Abdul Khaliq,[3] is located near Dina, in the Jhelum district.

Jafri has had great influence on Urdu poetry, and has focused on themes of peace and love for mankind.[2] He had published 78 books of poetry and prose, written in Urdu, Punjabi, and English.[4]

In addition, he translated Malay folklore (Pantuns), poems by Nazar-ul-Islam, and translations from the monumental Punjabi classic the “Saif-Ul-Malook” by Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. As a Co-Editor, he is responsible for the production of the “Urdu Punch”, which is considered to be the most sophisticated and esteemed journal of Urdu Humor.

After graduating from Islamia College, Jafri started as a journalist in Lahore but joined the Indian Army War Propaganda Directorate at the start of the Second World War. He was stationed at the headquarters in Delhi, alongside writers and intellectuals like M.D.Taseer, Majid Malik, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Jafri was posted to the Far East where he continued to serve in the Education Corps of Pakistan Army and participated in the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1947–1948 and 1965. He retired from the Army as a Major in 1965 and was appointed the first Director Public Relations of Capital Development Authority - a body formed to look after the development of Pakistan’s newly announced capital at Islamabad. Jafri remained at this post for over fifteen years and had the honor of naming the roads and residential/commercial sectors of the new Capital. Thereafter, he served on contract assignments as Deputy Director-General of Pakistan National Centre in the Ministry of Information, as Advisor to the Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugees and lastly as Chief Editor in the Academy of Letters.[5]

Jafri emerged as one of the most respected and acclaimed humourists. Known as a prose writer and a columnist, he had a knack of combining serious, grim facts with humor. His seldom use of irony, burlesque, or horse laughter was non-serious, and sometimes even nonsensical as defined in literary criticism.

This can be seen through his popular collection “Ma Fiz Zamir”. This anthology reveals how Jafri dealt with the reality of cruel, bitter, uncivilized situations and unreasonably aggressive people through the use of amusement. He proved himself as a humorist by rendering them in such a manner to not betray his satire nature by becoming a cruel and mocking comic. Jafri left a mark of his own, making him the most sought after poet in poetry recitals (Mushiara).