Artiste Liaquat Soldier remembered
KARACHI: Emotional scenes were witnessed as some speakers couldn’t control their tears at a condolence reference held in memory of actor, comedian and writer Liaquat Soldier, who died of a heart attack on March 30, at the Arts Council Karachi on Thursday.
Actor and Liaquat Soldier’s close friend Shazad Raza said though Liaquat Soldier had passed away, he had left his work and loving memories among his friends and colleagues.
He said whenever he and the late actor performed on stage Liaquat would make his entry before him. Keeping true to his habit of going first, Liaquat Soldier also left the mortal world before him, he said.
Actress Zeba Shahnaz said the fraternity of comedians made their audiences laugh, but the late actor would often bring smiles to the faces of his colleagues.
She said he was such a giving person that his fellow actors used to call him majzoob adakar. She said the fact that he named his sons and daughter Ali, Umar, Abdullah and Fatima indicated he was a spiritual person. She said that Liaquat Soldier was a shaheed since he died when he was on the job (he suffered a heart attack when he was on a TV channel discussing the Pakistan-India World Cup semifinal cricket match).
Actor Adil Wadia touched upon the late actor’s humane qualities. He said Liaquat Soldier would never speak against anyone and was an extremely amiable person.
Actor Anwar Iqbal said not only was Liaquat Soldier a good actor and writer, but he was also a great human being. He supported his claim by pointing at Manzar Akbar Hall of the Arts Council which was brimming with people there to attend the condolence reference. He suggested a certain part of the Arts Council should be named after the deceased actor.
Comedian Hanif Raja said Liaquat Soldier was one of the many teachers that he had in show business. He said the actor didn’t belong to just one community, but was an international artist. Referring to a show that he hosts on a private TV channel, Hanif Raja said a caller from Nathia Gali had promised that he’d build a charitable hospital in Nathia Gali in Liaquat Soldier’s name.
He said the actor had some kind of premonition of his death as in his last few days he behaved differently.
Liaquat Soldier’s son, Umar Soldier, also talked about the premonition and highlighted the religious side to his father.Theatre director Furqan Haider couldn’t control himself and cried while paying homage to his late colleague, as was the case with comedian Ali Hasan.
Others who spoke were Taj Niazi, Shahnaz Pervaiz, Nazar Husain, Rauf Lala, Shanaz Siddiqui, Dr M. Jamil, Zulqarnain Haider (from Lahore via phone), Secretary Arts Council Prof Ejaz Farooqui and President Arts Council Ahmed Shah.
Iqbal Latif conducted the event.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/8/2011
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