Muneer Ahmed Qureshi (6 February 1933 – 19 January 2018), better known as Munnu Bhai, was a Pakistani newspaper journalist,
columnist
A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (periodical), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the ...
, poet and writer. He was awarded the
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance (), officially known as the Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sp ...
Award by the
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan () is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is the nominal head of the executive and the supreme commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces. in 2007 for his services to the nation. He died on 22 January 2018 in Lahore, aged 84.
He was also rewarded
Hilal-i-Imtiaz
The ''Hilal-e-Imtiaz'' (; ), also spelled as ''Hilal-i-Imtiaz,'' is the second-highest (in the order of "Imtiaz") civilian award and honour given to both civilians and military officers of the Pakistan Armed Forces by the Government of Pakist ...
(Crescent of Excellence) Award on 23 March 2018 for his notable literary services.
[Beloved columnist, poet Munnu Bhai passes away at 84]
Pakistan Today (newspaper), Published 19 January 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2018
Early life
He was born as Muneer Ahmed Qureshi in
Wazirabad,
Punjab
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
,
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
on 6 February 1933.
[ He finished his schooling from Government College, ]Attock
Attock ( Punjabi, ), formerly known as Campbellpur (Punjabi, ), is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, not far from the country's capital Islamabad. It is the headquarters of the Attock District and is 36th largest city in the Punjab and 61st largest c ...
. He turned 80 in February 2013 per his own speech made at a public event in his honour in Lahore
Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
and reported by Dawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the diffuse sky radiation, appearance of indirect sunlight being Rayleigh scattering, scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc ha ...
newspaper, Karachi.['Munnu Bhai turns 80']
Dawn (newspaper), Published 7 February 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2018 He also revealed another fact about his life in this speech, "I have been a foster brother of a Sikh
Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
boy, Gurdutt Singh. His mother nursed me for 15 days or so, because my own mother was sick at that time", he told the audience at a ceremony titled in the Punjabi language 'Munnu Bhai Diyan Sattay Khairan'.[
]
Career
Munnu Bhai started his career by working as a translator for an Urdu language newspaper but eventually developed into a playwright and a dramatist. His career as a drama-writer was primarily devoted to writing plays for Pakistan Television Corporation
Pakistan Television Corporation (; reporting name: PTV); also known as ''Pakistan Television'', is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster founded by the Government of Pakistan, operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. I ...
(PTV).[ As a playwright, Munnu Bhai's most famous TV drama to date is Sona Chandi released in 1982.][ He has also written plays like 'Ashiana' and 'Dasht' and contributed in an environmental docudrama- 'Before It's Too Late'. Tamanna, a UK-Pakistani production shot entirely in Pakistan with the soundtrack featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is also written by Munnu Bhai.
His name is mostly associated with column writing but Muneer Ahmed Qureshi or 'Munnu Bhai', as he is better known as, has put on paper a few of the most remembered and revered drama serials in Pakistani television history. He has been one of the most outstanding and consistent writers in Pakistan.][
‘Sona Chandi' is his most famous drama serial up to date and has won him much praise for his talented writing. A story about a village couple who moves to the city to earn money and attain a better standard of life, it is still etched into the minds of its viewers for its well-built and well executed plot as well as its humorous story line.][Profile of Munnu Bhai on vidpk.com website]
Retrieved 15 May 2016
He also ventured into long plays, producing immensely entertaining plays such as ‘Gumshuda’ and ‘Khubsurat’ which were well received by the audience and drew favourable comments from the critics. He also wrote another renowned drama serial ‘Ashiyaana’ which was characterised by its buoyant and optimistic plot as well as for highlighting family values. His drama serial ‘Dasht’ was another one of his brilliant works and portrayed the life style, cultural traditions as well as the backwardness of the Balochi tribes based in Gwadar
Gwadar (, ) is a Port, port city on the southwestern coast of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan. The city is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, opposite Oman and has a populati ...
, Baluchistan
Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region of de ...
.[
His Punjabi poetry is considered one of the best works in recent Punjabi literature and poetry. A regular columnist for the ]Daily Jang
The ''Daily Jang'' () is an Urdu language newspaper headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. It is considered one of Pakistan's newspaper of record and a leading newspaper of Pakistan.
History
It is the oldest newspaper of Pakistan in continuous p ...
newspaper, Munnu Bhai is considered to be among Pakistan's best and brightest columnists.[
]
Death and legacy
Munnu Bhai died in Lahore, Pakistan on 19 January 2018 at age 84.[ He had been suffering from kidney and cardiac problems for some time and had been going through dialysis treatment at a hospital.
Pakistan's Information Minister, Pervez Rashid, in a speech at a public event in 2014, to pay tribute to Munnu Bhai, said that Habib Jalib was the only other poet whose poetry reflected the era he lived in.][ Munnu Bhai, at the same event, said that he learned everything he knows from the common people. Writers should understand that glamour is in realism and they should increase interaction with the common people to write articles close to the hearts of the people.]['Life and works of Munnu Bhai celebrated']
Dawn (newspaper), Published 27 February 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2018
In 2014, he donated his personal library to Government College University, Lahore
The Government College University (colloquially known as GCU; Punjabi, Urdu: ) is a public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded as Government College, Lahore, in 1864 under British administration, it became a university i ...
for their contribution to promotion of drama and literature.
A major Pakistani English-language newspaper commented after his death, "Apart from his work as a playwright and poet, he also stressed the need for a free media. He said that terrorism, poverty and social degradation could be eliminated by means of truthful journalism. He strongly believed that with time, journalism in Pakistan would mature and perform a constructive role in society."[
A veteran Pakistani journalist I. A. Rehman commented about him at a 2013 event to honor Munnu Bhai, "Munnu Bhai always wrote to the purpose, to create awareness among the masses and to kindle hope among them even in worst circumstances."][
]
Selected works
* اجے قیامت نئیں آئی (*Ajay Qayamat Nahi Aayi*, ''The Doomsday Has Not Come Yet'') – A Punjabi poetry collection published in 1977, reflecting themes of human struggle, injustice, and hope.
* جنگل اُداس ہے (*Jungle Udaas Hai*, ''The Forest Is Sad'') – An anthology of newspaper columns highlighting social injustice, human empathy, and political critique.
* فلسطین، فلسطین (*Falasteen, Falasteen*, ''Palestine, Palestine'') – A collection of writings focused on the Palestinian cause
Palestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people that espouses self-determination and sovereignty over the region of Palestine.de Waart, 1994p. 223 Referencing Article 9 of ''The Palestinian National Charter of 19 ...
and broader issues of global oppression.
* محبت کی ایک سو ایک نظمیں (*Mohabbat Ki 101 Nazmein*, ''101 Poems of Love'') – A poetic compilation exploring themes of love, longing, and emotional resilience.
* انسانی منظرنامہ (*Insani Manzar Nama*, ''A Human Panorama'') – A collection of translated and original essays reflecting on human dignity and social issues.
* منو بھائی کے گریبان (*Munnu Bhai Ke Gareban*, ''In Munnu Bhai’s Collar'') – A selection of his signature newspaper columns under the title "Gareban", offering commentary on everyday lives and moral conscience.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhai, Munnu
1933 births
2018 deaths
Pakistani male journalists
Pakistani columnists
Pakistani dramatists and playwrights
Pakistani poets
People from Wazirabad
Recipients of the Pride of Performance
Recipients of Hilal-i-Imtiaz