The renowned Punjabi and Urdu poet, dramatist, researcher and author of over 175 books, Mr Ahmed Saleem passed away peacefully on Sunday in the federal capital after protracted illness. The late dramatist and poet was the student of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Ustad Daman who breathed his last at the age of 77. He remained associated with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute till his last moment. Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Monday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of well-known intellectual, poet, novelist, translator and editor Ahmed Salim. Using his X account, formerly Twitter, the minister said that during his entire life, Ahmed Salim remained steadfast and glued to his values of serving the working class, democracy, marginalised, vulnerable, oppressed people and the wretched of the earth. Solangi said he equally shared the grief of the bereaved family and Ahmed Salim’s death was a personal loss for him. He prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude.