Kaarobaar-e-Shaam – The Poetic World of Hafeez Johar

Saud Usmani is a renowned Urdu poet, literary critic, columnist, and travel writer based in Lahore. His award-winning body of work spans poetry, memoir, religious scholarship, and literary journalism. As a critic and essayist, he is known for his incisive voice and wide-ranging contributions to contemporary Urdu literature, including prefaces, reviews, and literary commentary.

Author of several poetry collections, including Qaus and Baarish, and two travelogues, his influence extends across genres. He is a regular columnist for Daily Dunya and has represented Pakistani literature at events throughout the Middle East, Europe, USA, and South Asia. Saud joins the festival from Pakistan, bringing a critical and cultural perspective shaped by decades of deep engagement with the Urdu literary world.

Imran Hafeez is the Bradford-based poet who led the creation of Kaarobaar-e-Shaam: The Complete Poems of Hafeez Johar, bringing together decades of unpublished poetry, personal writings, and archival material into a landmark collection. His work on the book has helped preserve and celebrate the literary legacy of Hafeez Johar, a key figure in the city’s early Urdu poetry scene – and Imran’s father.

A performance poet in his own right, writing primarily in English, Imran has hosted and contributed to numerous multilingual literary events across Yorkshire. He is also Bradford Hub Manager for the National Literacy Trust, where he has spent the past decade working with schools and communities to strengthen literacy and celebrate storytelling across the city.

Basir Sultan Kazmi is a poet, playwright, and literary scholar whose work bridges Urdu and English traditions. Born in Pakistan, he studied and taught English at Government College, Lahore, before continuing his academic and literary career in the UK. His published works include Urdu poetry collections Mauj-e-Khayaal and Chaman Koi Bhi Ho, the acclaimed play Bisaat and its English translation The Chess Board.

Basir has read and taught poetry internationally, conducted workshops across the UK, and contributed to anthologies in both English and Urdu. He has written extensively on the life and legacy of his father, the celebrated Urdu poet Nasir Kazmi. In recognition of his literary contributions, he was awarded an MBE in 2013.

Ishtiaq Mir is an Urdu poet and short story writer whose work centres on politics and social injustice. He writes across a range of poetic forms and is also known for fiction that blends fact with imagination. In 1980, he founded Bazm-e-Adab, one of Yorkshire’s earliest Urdu literary societies, and later became a founding member of the Yorkshire Adabee Forum, which supports Urdu and multilingual literature. His debut poetry collection, Zindagi Itni To Ho, reflects his longstanding engagement with issues of power and society.