Pakistan is paying tribute today to one of its most loved Urdu poets, Ahmad Faraz, on his 18th death anniversary. Born as Syed Ahmad Shah on 14 January 1931 in Nowshera, he later became known across the world by his pen name, Faraz.
He passed away on 25 August 2008 in Islamabad after suffering kidney failure, at the age of 77. His funeral was held the next evening and was attended by a large number of admirers along with government officials.
Faraz studied at the well-known Edwardes College and later earned master’s degrees in Urdu and Persian literature from the University of Peshawar. He began his career as a scriptwriter for Radio Pakistan Peshawar before moving on to teach at Peshawar University.
His poetry beautifully combined themes of love with strong social and political messages. He often used his verses as a tool for political resistance and famously spoke out against the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq, which led to his arrest. After his release, he chose to live in exile for six years, spending time in Britain, Canada, and parts of Europe before eventually returning home to Pakistan.
Later in life, he served as chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters and also headed the Islamabad-based National Book Foundation. Some of his most cherished works include Tanha Tanha, Janaan Janaan and Shab-e-Khoon.
In recognition of his contribution to literature, the government honoured him with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Imtiaz, and posthumously awarded him the Hilal-e-Pakistan. Even 18 years after his passing, his poetry continues to be recited and cherished by readers across generations, keeping his legacy alive in Pakistani literature.
