Aseem Hanif, a longtime Pakistani expatriate who was quite popular in Jeddah’s literary circles, died on Thursday following a massive heart attack.

He was 67 and is survived by his wife, two sons, Ehtesham and Hesham, and daughter Maria. He was based in the Kingdom for nearly 35 years and at one time associated with King Abdul Aziz University.

At the time of his death, he was producing a pioneering Urdu dictionary called “Lughat Harf-e-Aakhir.” According to his friends, he had already completed it and was eager to see it published.

On Thursday, two hours before he died, he addressed a literary meeting organized by Halqa-e-Danish in which he presented details of his work. He was in high spirits and showed no signs of fatigue or illness, said his shocked friends.

His funeral prayers were held after Asr and he was laid to rest at a local cemetery. Friends have described him as a cheerful person who regularly attended literary meetings and forums in Jeddah.

Several literary organizations, including Aalami Urdu Markaz led by Athar Nafees Abbasi, Urdu Academy International led by senior banker Rohail Khan, and Urdu Gulban led by Mahtab Qadr, paid rich tributes to Hanif.