Death anniversary of renowned Urdu poet and writer, Nazar Muhammad Rashid commonly known as Noon Meem Rashid is being observed today.

Rashid was born as Nazar Muhammad in a Janjua family in the village of Kot Bhaaga, Akaal Garh, Wazirabad, Gujranwala. He earned a master's degree in economics from the Government College Lahore.

Rashid served the UN and worked in many countries. He is considered to be the 'father of modernism' in Urdu Literature.

Along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz, he is one of the great progressive poets in Pakistani Literature.

He rebelled against the traditional form of 'Ghazal' and became the first major exponent of free verse in Urdu Literature.

His first book of free verse, Mavra, was published in 1940 and established him as a pioneering figure in free form Urdu poetry.

His poem "Zindagi Sey Dartey Ho" was set to music in the 2011 Bollywood Movie.

He died in a London Hospital on October 9, 1975.