Daily Times

I was at the burial of Farooq Zameer on Saturday though he had expired on Thursday. The wait was for one of his sons to arrive from the States. Umar came. Fahad was also there, Mahwish Farooq Zameer told me. He had undergone by-pass surgery sometimes ago. Meanwhile there was a light stroke.

He did not fully recover, gradually losing his appetite. He spent some time in CMH. Then was admitted in a popular hospital in DHA, his family had to pay Rs 700,000 in return of heavy doses of steroids. He came home apparently recovered and went into slumber again, and was taken to Fauji Foundation Hospital. Doctors said if he were to digest some liquid food, there was hope. That was not to be. The inevitable happened. We can say it to be an act of God or the brutality of doctors! Perhaps it was not realised that Farooq was a senior Pakistani TV actor. He was among the pioneers of Pakistan Television Corporation. He was a born actor. He was a natural actor not believing in loud dialogue delivery. He made his debut in the 1960s but was more popular in the 1990s. He has acted in several Pakistani dramas such as ‘Rani’, ‘93 Shumali’ and ‘Gadarya’. Farooq’s performance soon got him more roles, and was frequently seen on private channels. His drama serial ‘Mukmala Aur Mahira’, was a major hit and he got rave reviews for his acting performance in the serial.

My mind started rolling and went back to the 1970s when National Engineering Services Pakistan Limited (NESPAK) came into being. It was a state-owned company in the field of engineering and consultancy profession. The business acquiring and expenditure has to be borne by its employees. Farooq was a natural choice for becoming head of its publications division. He opened its offices in Hotel Ambassador’s basement. The main NESPAK offices were located on the second and the fourth floors of WAPDA House. Very able personalities like Hafeez Tahir and poet Rukhsana Noor assisted Farooq. Being a colleague, I was a frequent visitor to that office. The charm, gentlemanly behaviour and soft spoken Farooq were the main attraction. Then after Brigadier (R) Sharif retired as managing director of NESPAK, Farooq left NESPAK as he could not adjust to his new boss or vice versa. Soon I heard that he had gone to Riyadh also in the marketing section of a local company. I used to tell him that his presence in that city had motivated me to accept my appointment as RM NESPAK there, but by then he had returned. On return he opened his own press on Nisbet Road and worked for PTV plays side by side. The latter were many in number. I would visit his office for minor printing work for Turkpak of which I was the executive director in 1990s.

A businessman by profession, Farooq started his artistic career with PTV in the 1960s, contrary to general perception that he started working rather late, he shot to fame for his roles in various television serials and plays, including ‘Gurriya’, ‘Shamail’ and ‘Suragh-i-Zindagi’. Farooq had been working in ‘Khandan-e-Shughlia’, another hit drama serial that was aired on ARY Digital. His performances on PTV and ATV were also highly appreciated, such as those in ‘Tum Bhi Kaho’ and ‘Kaghaz Ki Nao’. Lately, he is also thinking about venturing in to production. He was 76 and left behind a widow, three sons and a daughter. All the artist community is shocked including me at his departure from this world.

He was conferred the Presidential Pride of Performance award in 2001. My memories are still fresh when I rendered a ghazal “Kis Ki Soorat Zehn May Ubhri, Kaun Is Rut Main Yaad Aya Hai” (Whose face appeared in my mind and who did I remember in this weather?) in a telefilm for PTV directed by Muhammad Nisar Hussain. Farooq was the main character in the telefilm. The music was composed by Mian Shehryar.

Farooq was Masters in English. He was a Ravian. His character, grooming, demeanour spoke volumes about his polished personality both in his professional and personal lives. Such educated artists are rarely born. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen!