[1][2] Hanafi was introduced to Rabindranath Tagore, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Charles Dickens quite early in life by his father, who was a literary enthusiast and an advocate.

[2] Hanafi studied Persian with Maulvi Mugheesuddin and developed an interest in Urdu literature due to his teacher Syed Moinuddin Qadri.

[4] Hanafi taught at a Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya affiliated college in Indore briefly while he finished his MA.

[9] He wrote dramas including Mitti Ka Bulāwa, Bāzār Mein Nīnd and Mujhe Ghar Yād Aata Hai.

[10] In June 2015, his poetic collection Ākhri Pehar ki Dastak was released by Hindi poet Ashok Vajpeyi.

[13] He received the "International award for promotion of Urdu literature" in January 2021 from the Majlis-e-Frogh-e-Urdu Adab, a Qatar-based literary organization.

[1] Arts Council, Karachi president Ahmad Shah expressed grief on Hanafi's death and said "Shamim will remain alive amongst us due to his literary works.