Scores of people gathered in Umer Sharif Park Clifton block 2 to attend the funeral prayers of iconic comedian Umer Sharif and bid him a well-deserved farewell here on Wednesday. The iconic comedian passed away after protracted illness in Germany at the age of 66 on Saturday 2 October. Moulana Bashir Ahmed Farooqi, head of Saylani Welfare Trust, led the funeral prayers of the late comedian.
Besides a large number of Sharif,s admirers his funeral prayers were attended by Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, Farooq Sattar, Mustafa Kamal, his colleagues including Shakeel Siddiqui, Saleem Afridi, Jan Ramo, other Showbiz and media personalities and people hailing from different parts of the country.
Umer Sharif, 66 earned fame across the subcontinent through his comedy stage plays particularly Bakra Qiston Pay, Budha Ghar Pe Hai, and Yes Sir Eid No Sir Eid. Razor-sharp and witty sentences and punch lines were his trademarks through which he could produce laughter out of nowhere.
Sharif was born in Karachi in 1955, abject poverty and the mounting financial crisis forced him to enter the entertainment industry where he started writing stage plays but later he did stage plays as a lead actor. Gradually he started gaining popularity through audio and video cassettes of his stage play that were being played in almost every house of Karachi during the mid-80s.
The body of the actor draped with the National flag was later taken to the Shrine of a renowned Sufi Saint Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi under complete protocol where he was laid to rest as per his will. His colleagues who worked with the stalwart entertainer throughout his life were seen wailing inconsolably.
Overcome with grief one of his cordial friends and seasoned actor Shahezad Raza Said ” It is hard for me to believe that Umer is no more, Umer Sharif will live until the desire to laugh is alive; said tearful Shahezad.
Provincial Minister for Labor and Information and Human Resources Saeed Ghani said that an institution of acting would be opened after his name to keep him alive forever. Actor Saud and Jan Rambo who had come from Lahore to attend the funeral said that Umer Sharif was an extremely gifted artist and his contributions would always be remembered.
Earlier the body of the late comedian reached Karachi in the early hours of the day and was received by Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, Waseem Badami, son Jawad Umer and other relatives and family members.
