Sindhi poet Dr. Akash Ansari dies in Hyderabad house fire

Dr. Akash Ansari, a 69-year-old Sindhi poet and former doctor known as Allah Bux, died in a fire at his Hyderabad residence on Saturday.

The incident occurred in his rented home in Citizen Colony while he was asleep. Family members, alerted by the smell of smoke around 8:30 am, attempted to enter his room only to find it locked from the inside.

When they finally opened the door, flames were already engulfing the space.

Rescue 1122 teams arrived at around 8:55 am after a call was received at 8:47 am, finding the room filled with thick smoke and complete destruction of its contents.

Investigators believe that a short circuit may have been the cause of the blaze.

A heater was found near Dr. Ansari’s head, suggesting he tried to escape before succumbing to the fire.

His body was recovered near the room’s entrance, and his son, along with another family member, sustained minor injuries during the rescue and was subsequently taken to hospital.

The police have sealed the property for a comprehensive investigation, with a postmortem examination conducted by Dr. Imran Khawaja.

SP Masood Iqbal is overseeing the inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and rule out any foul play.

Dr. Ansari was widely revered for his poetry of resistance and his contributions to Sindhi literature, with his works performed by notable singers such as Abida Parveen.

Sindh Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss and called for a detailed investigation.