Renowned writer Munnu Bhai is dead
lahore — Renowned poet, playwright, columnist and social worker Muneer Ahmed Qureshi, popularly known as Munnu Bhai, passed away due to pneumonia at a private hospital here on Friday. He was 84.
Munnu Bhai who dedicated the latter part of his life to fight against thalassemia at Sundas Foundation, could not survive the evil effects of pneumonia although he was being treated for the kidney and cardiac ailments and passed away early morning.
Munnu Bhai, a man of letters, was born in 1933 in Wazirabad, Punjab. He finished his schooling from the Government College Attock. He started his career as a journalist at an Urdu newspaper but soon turned to writing dramas. He earned great fame as a drama writer.
Though Munnu Bhai’s fame lies as a columnist but he penned down some of the immortal drama serials for Pakistan Television including Sona Chandi, Dasht, Tmmanna, Gumshuda, Aashiyana and Khoobsurat. The characters of the play Sona Chandi are talk of the town even today.
Munnu Bhai was also known for his versatile Punjabi poetry and he rubbed shoulders with Habib Jalib for realism in Punjabi poetry and much of his poetry has a tinge of a realist who lambasts the military junta and bureaucracy.
Munnu Bhai was awarded Pride of Performance in 2007 for his services to the nation in varied fields including journalism.