Zahir Qasmi Urdu: قاری ظاہر قاسمی (2 August 1922 4 September 1988) was a qari (reciter of the Qur'an), mainly known for his qira'at (technique of recitation).
Background
Zahir Qasmi was born to Muhammad Tahir Qasmi, son of Islamic scholar Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad, son of Maulana Qasim Nanotvi mohtamim & founder of famous Dar-Ul-Ulum Deobund, Saharanpur, UP, India. Qari Zahir Qasmi's three younger brothers, (i) Maulana Asif Qasmi was the founder of Jama Masjid Farooq-e-Azam, North Nazimabad, Karachi. (ii) Qari Shakir Qasmi has got the honor as a first Qari ever recited Tilawat-e-Kalam-e-Pak at the ceremony of starting of the new Islamic century in UNO. (iii) Qari Vaheed Zafar Qasmi the famous naat khuan of Pakistan. Qari Zahir Qasmi's daughter Zohra Qasmi was a girls student leader of Sir Syed Collage and Karachi University. His son Saood Qasmi is a famous film actor.
Zahir Qasmi had a very unique honour for Qur’an recitation. On August 14/15, 1947, day of independence of Pakistan, Qari Zahir Qasmi recited on Radio Pakistan for the country. He also established a Qira’at Institution in early 50’s in Pakistan called “Darul-Quran, Jamia Qasima” in lazvella, Karachi. In 1966/1967, Qari Zahir Qasmi was the secretary general of the International Qur'an Recitation Association and he attended both international Qira'at conferences. He had gained a lot of popularity in the late 1970s, and the early 1980s. Qari Zahir Qasmi died on September 4, 1988, in the state of Virginia (United States).
There is a 'Qari Zahir Qasmi Road' in Karachi, Pakistan named after him.
From the Dawn newspaper's archives 50 years ago, "On June 11, 1970 it was reported that the Mohajir representatives of Karachi had decided to form a political party the Pakistan Mohajir Front... The meeting also decided to make Maulana Zahir Qasmi its convener, and to appoint a committee consisting of Maulana Qasmi, Hamid Husain Farooqui (advocate), Ziaul Hasan Chishti (advocate), Dr Safdar Farooqui, M. Ghulam Murtaza and SM Sohail to prepare the constitution of the party".
Above quote from the Dawn newspaper archives makes it obvious that Zahir Qasmi was highly active politically and socially in Karachi more than 50 years ago.