Ahmad Faraz

Ahmad Faraz
1931 – 2008 | Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistani poet, only second to Faiz Ahmad Faiz in popularity. Rose to iconic stature powered by his seductively romantic and anti-establishment poetry.

About

Pen Name : Faraz
Real Name :Syed Ahmad Shah
Born :12 Jan 1931 | Kohat, Pakistan
Died :25 Aug 2008 | Islamabad, Pakistan

SHER

Aur Faraaz Chahiyen Kitni Mohabbaten Tujhe 

Maon Ne Tere Nam Par Bachchon Ka Nam Rakh Diya

اور فرازؔ چاہییں کتنی مَحبتیں تجھے

ماؤں نے تیرے نام پر بچوں کا نام رکھ دیا

Details

Syed Ahmad Shah (1931-2008), who acquired the pen name of Faraz and known as Ahmad Faraz as a poet. S.Faraz Ahmad Shah was born at Nav Shahra although his ancestral place was Kohat. He studied at Islamia College, Kohat; Edwards College, Peshawar; and Peshawar University from where he got his degrees of M. A. in Urdu and M. A. in Persian.He began his career as a producer in Radio Pakistan. Later, he worked as a lecturer at Islamia College in Peshawar. Faraz disapproved of the military dictatorship in Pakistan and expressed himself unreservedly for which he was arrested. On his release, Faraz Ahmad preferred to live in a self-imposed exile in Europe and Canada for six years. Back home, Faraz Ahmad took up senior positions of administrative nature as Resident Director of Pakistan National Centre, and subsequently the Director of Akademy Adabiyat Pakistan, Lok Wirsa and Chairperson of National Book Foundation. A widely respected poet, Faraz received several awards. Some of these include Adamji Award, Abaseen Award, Kamal-e-Fun Award, and Hilal-e-Imtiyaz award, which he returned registering his displeasure with the country’s governance. He was decorated with Hilal-e-Pakistan award by the Government of Pakistan posthumously.

Faraz Ahmad started writing poetry while he was still a young college student. Faraz Ahmad emerged as a ghazal poet with an individual signature of his own. Even while he drew upon the traditional subjects of love and romance, he also wrote his age in his poetry with all its despairs and disappointments and produced some of the finest specimens of resistance poetry.   Faraz Ahmad was a prolific poet with several anthologies to his credit. These include Tanha Tanha, Dard-e-Aashob, Janan Janan, Shubkhoon, Merey Khwab Reza Reza, Beaawara Gali Koochon Mein, Nabeena Shar Mein Aaeena, Pus Andaz Mausam,  and Khwab-e-Gul Pareshan Hai. His translations of poetry are included in Sub Awazein Meri Hain. He also put together a selection from the poetry of Kunwar Mahinder Singh Bedi in Ai Ishq Junoon Pesha. His Kulliyat appeared with an inclusive title of Shahr-e-Sukhan Aaraasta Hai.