[Ankaboot]

Syed Mustafa Hussain Zaidi (Urdu: سید مصطفی حسین زیدی) (b. 1930 - d. 1970) was a renowned Urdu poet of Pakistan. He has the honor of having first published collection of ghazals and nazms at age 19.

Life
Mustafa was born on October 10, 1930 in Allahabad, India. His father, Syed Lakhte Hussain, was a senior officer in Indian C.I.D. Mustafa was a brilliant student of his time. He graduated from Allahaabad University with distinction. His family migrated to Pakistan in 1951, where he came to be known as "Mustafa Zaidi" instead of "Tegh Allahabadi". In 1954, he appreard in CSS exams and employed with the Pakistan Civil Services. He was dismissed in 1970 from government services. He had a German wife.

In October 12, 1970, he was found dead in Karachi along with an unconscious woman named Shehnaz Gul, with whom he was believed to have an affair. It is widely believed that both may have attempted suicide by ingesting poison. His death and the reasons thereof have remained a mystery.

Literary work
Zaidi's famous contemporary was Nasir Kazmi, also a poet who was born in India but spent his poetic life in Lahore, Pakistan.

One of his popular couplets (below in Urdu,followed by translation) is:

Inhi paththaron pe chal ke agar aa sako to aao

Mere ghar ke raaste mein koi kehkashaan nahi hai
Come, if you can walk on the stones-ridden path to my house

For there is no galaxy on the way which leads to my house
Here's the important collection of Mustafa's poetry.

Mauj meri sadaf sadaf
Shehr-e-Aarzu
Zanjeerain
Koh-e-Nida
Quba-e-Saaz