Syed Mohsin Naqvi

Early Life

Born Syed Ghulam Abbas Naqvi on 10 May 1947 in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab (then British India, now Pakistan). He pursued his education in Multan and Lahore, adopting 'Mohsin' as his pen name and rising to prominence at mushairas across Pakistan.

Syed Mohsin Naqvi (born Syed Ghulam Abbas Naqvi, 10 May 1947 – 15 January 1996) was one of Pakistan's most beloved Urdu poets. Born in Dera Ghazi Khan, he studied at Government College on Bosan Road in Multan and earned his master's degree from the University of the Punjab in Lahore. He became a hugely popular figure at mushairas, admired both for his lyrical ghazals and for the emotional power of his own recitation. Naqvi is best remembered as the 'poet of the Ahl al-Bayt.' His verse on the Battle of Karbala and the household of the Prophet is recited throughout Pakistan during Muharram and other Shia observances, and it remains central to his enduring reputation. Alongside this devotional work he wrote widely read love and philosophical poetry. He published numerous collections in Urdu, among them Azaab-e-Deed, Barg-e-Sehra, Khaima-e-Jaan, Rida-e-Khaab and Tulu-e-Ashk. An active member of the Shia community, Naqvi was assassinated in a drive-by shooting near Moon Market in Lahore on 15 January 1996, at the age of 48. His death was widely mourned, and his poetry continues to be recited and sung across South Asia.