Renowned Pakistani writer, thinker and broadcaster Ashfaq Ahmed is being remembered on Monday, September 7, on the 22nd anniversary of his death.
Ahmed, one of the prominent figures of Urdu literature, wrote numerous books, television dramas and radio programmes during a career spanning several decades. He also hosted the popular Radio Pakistan programme Talqeen Shah, which became widely recognised among audiences.
His best-known television works include Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay, Tota Kahani, Hairat Kada, Munchaley Ka Soda and Afsaney. His television writing also included plays such as Uchhay Burj Lahore De and Tali Thallay.
Among his acclaimed literary works are Zavia, Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay, Gadariya and Tota Kahani, which established his reputation as an influential voice in Urdu prose.
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Ahmed also ventured into cinema and made the feature film Dhoop Aur Saya in the 1960s.
His television series Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay and Zavia, which featured his reflections and lectures on self-actualisation and life, became particularly popular during the golden era of Pakistan Television. His conversational style and philosophical observations earned him a lasting following.
Ahmed was married to renowned writer Bano Qudsia, another influential figure in Urdu literature. Together, the couple became closely associated with Pakistan’s literary and intellectual life.
In recognition of his services to literature and broadcasting, Ahmed received the Presidential Pride of Performance and Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
Ashfaq Ahmed died in Lahore on September 7, 2004, at the age of 79. Two decades after his death, his books, dramas and philosophical ideas continue to attract readers and audiences across generations.
