Our National Heroes

Introduction:

Ashfaq Ahmed was born at “Muktsar” of Punjab when the British rule over India. He had to fond of books and novels, he had been a “writer, playwright and the broadcaster” of Pakistan. He wrote many books, novels, short stories, television and also worked on radio in Pakistan. The “President’s Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Excellence star)” awarded Ashfaq Ahmed because of his working in the literature field and broadcast ^[1]. Here, we discuss Ashfaq Ahmed biography.

Date of Birth	22nd August 1925
Place of birth	Sri Muktsar, India
Death & place	7th September 2004, Lahore, Pakistan.
Cause of Death	Pancreatic Cancer
Early education	Native district, Sri Muktsar
Higher education	International Boarding high school, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia
Profession	Writer, Playwright, Intellectual
Interest	Literature, Philosophy, Socialism, Psychology, Fiction, Non-fiction
Books	Talqeen Shah, Aik mohabbat so Afsany, Gadariya, Tota Kahani, Mann Chale Ka Sauda, Zavia, Farhang Istalahaat”
Awards	“Pride of Performance Award (1979)” “Sitara-e-Imtiaz awarded by the President of Pakistan”

Early Life of Ashfaq Ahmed:

Ashfaq Ahmed was born on 22nd August 1925 in “Muktsar” of Punjab. There Britishers rule over India. He was from an ethnic family of the “Mohammad Tribe”. He got his early education from his town “Muktsar” before Pakistan came into being in 1947. His family settled in Lahore, Punjab. He completed his Urdu Literature in Masters from “Government College Lahore”. He married “Bano Qudsia”, she was also a classmate and had a firm grip in Urdu literature. She was also a student at Government College ^[1].

Ashfaq Ahmed had a fond of traveling, can speak Urdu, English, French and Italian languages instead of his paternal language Punjabi. He traveled to a lot of countries, especially in Europe ^[1].

Life Career of Ashfaq Ahmed:

Ashfaq Ahmed wrote many stories that were published in “Phool (Flower)” magazine. Many of them were for the children. When he came back to Pakistan from Europe, he wrote Urdu literature stories in “Dastaango (storyteller)”, joined the Pakistan radio, and wrote scripts. Ashfaq Ahmed was the popular editor of “Urdu weekly & Lail-o-Nahar (Day and night)” by the Government of Pakistan ^[1].

He became famous among the towns and villagers after starting his program on radio and became “Taqleen Shah (Preacher)” in 1962. The “Markazi Urdu Board” appointed the director, later named “Urdu Science Board”. He held to this post for about 29 (Twentynine) years. He worked there till 1979 on the board. During the Zia-ul-Haq’s period, he remained as an adviser in the “Education Ministry”. Ashfaq Ahmed wrote about 30 books in his life. In 1955, His “short story (Afsaana), Gadarya (Shepherd)” was famous. Another achievement was that he built the building of the Central Board in Lahore ^[1].

Radio Plays (short Dram) ^[1]:

1. Taqleen Shah (1962).

2. Baithak (Guest Room).

Shows for Television ^[1]:

1. Zavia.

2. Tali thallay.

3. Uchhay Burj Lahore De.

4. Tota Kahani (1970).

5. Aik Mohabbat So Afsaany (1975-1976).

6. Aur Dramay.

Books of Ashfaq Ahmed ^[1]:

Death of Ashfaq Ahmed:

Ashfaq Ahmed died on 7th September 2004 because of pancreatic cancer. His grave is in Model Town, Lahore. During his life, he came across a smile on many people, wrote stories, and worked for Pakistan. May ALLAH rest his Peace. Ameen!! ^[1].

After Death years:

Ashfaq Ahmed was a very fan of “Sufism” in his last years of life. Because of the attraction towards “Sufism”, he was very close to “Qudrat Ullah Shahab, Mumtaz Mufti, and Baba Mohammad Yahya Khan”. He was mostly with his fans in the PTV program “Baithak (Guest Room) & Zavia (An angel)”. He answered the questions fast but was satisfying to every person. Most of the younger students which asked question. The tribute was given to Ashfaq Ahmed in “Allama Iqbal Open University” in November 2004. Space has been formed in the literacy world after the death of Ashfaq Ahmed, chairperson, National Language said. The chairperson, the Pakistan Academy of Letters, also give tribute to him and said that he worked hard for the people of welfare and he will remain in the heart of all people ^[1].

Awards:

Pride of Performance Award (1979).

Sitara-e-Imtiaz awarded by the President of Pakistan.

Books for Reading ^[2]:

You can read books from the links.

1. Zavia (part 1)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/bztyx2d1b4v3041/Zavia+1+By+Ashfaq+Ahmed.pdf

2. Zavia (part 2)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ni8dngxojm734sb/Zavia+2+by+Ashfaq+Ahmed.pdf

3. Zavia (part 3)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/728bw266tj59c73/Zavia+3+by+Ashfaq+Ahmed.pdf

4. Gaddarya

https://www.hamarihub.com/ashfaq-ahmed-books/

5. Safar Dar Safar

http://www.mediafire.com/file/m86mh8qhz3yy217/Safar_Dar_Safar_by_Ashfaq_Ahmed.pdf/file

References:

1. Wikipedia, 14th July 2020; Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashfaq_Ahmed

2. Ammar, Q., 14th July 2020; Available from: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By0Yum52WooCNU45eTByN1pYaUU/ed

3. MediaFire, 14th July 2020; Available from: http://www.mediafire.com/file/m86mh8qhz3yy217/Safar_Dar_Safar_by_Ashfaq_Ahmed.pdf/file