Ashfaq Ahmed

Ashfaq Ahmed was a Pakistani writer, playwright and broadcaster. His works in Urdu included novels, short stories and plays for television and radio of Pakistan. He received the President's Pride of Performance and Sitara-i-Imtiaz awards for his everlasting services in the field of broadcasting and literary heritage of Pakistan. He was born in a Pashtun family of the Mohmand tribe in Muktsar, Punjab, British India, in 1925. He migrated to Pakistan and settled in Lahore, Punjab, in 1947. He completed a Master of Arts degree in Urdu literature from Government College Lahore, where he met his future wife and companion in Urdu literary circles, Bano Qudsia. He travelled widely and could speak Punjabi, Urdu, English, Italian and French. He wrote over thirty books, including novels, short stories and plays. His short story Gaddarya (The Shepherd) earned him early fame in 1955. He also created the Central Board for the Development of Urdu in Lahore and edited the popular Urdu weekly, Lail-o-Nahar. He started his radio program, Talqeen Shah (The Preacher) in 1962, which made him popular among the people in towns and villages. He was also the director of the Markazi Urdu Board, later renamed as Urdu Science Board, for 29 years. He also served as an adviser in the Education Ministry during Zia-ul-Haq's regime. He died in 2004 and was buried in Model Town, Lahore. ¹