Zafar Iqbal (poet)

Zafar Iqbal
Born (1930-09-27) 27 September 1930 (age 94)
NationalityPakistani
Occupation(s)Poet, Writer[2]
Attorney
Journalist
RelativesAftab Iqbal (son) Junaid Iqbal (son)
AwardsPride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1999[1]
Hilal-i-Imtiaz Award by the President of Pakistan in 2014[2]

Zafar Iqbal (Urdu: ظفر اقبال‎, romanizedẒafar Iqbāl; born 27 September 1930) is an Urdu poet based in Okara, Punjab, Pakistan in Arain family. [1][3]

Early life and career

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Zafar was born in 1930 in Bahawalnagar, Punjab where his maternal grandparents lived. He received his basic early education in Okara, Punjab which is his hometown and later moved to Lahore for his college education.[1] His poetry is mainly in the genre of ghazal. The diction of his ghazal is entirely different from traditional Urdu poetry. He is a lawyer by profession, and regularly contributes articles to some Urdu newspapers.[3][4]

In contrast to classical poets, Zafar's poetry portrays love as scientific and physical rather than supernatural. Dr Tabassam Kaashmiri called him Literature's renegade of the 20th century. Former Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan), Hanif Ramay, who was also a writer and a well-known literary critic, called him a poet of a new tone and new concepts.[1]

Besides being a poet, he has been a newspaper columnist for different newspapers for over 35 years. Considering that he also has been a professional lawyer for most of his adult life, those are not small accomplishments. He practised as an attorney, first in Okara and then in Lahore until 2003, when he had a heart bypass surgery and quit practicing law.[1]

Zafar has a son named Aftab Iqbal who is a newspaper columnist and a well-known TV anchor in Pakistan.[5]

Poetry collections

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  • Tamjid
  • Taqweem
  • Tashkeel
  • Tajawaz
  • Tawarid
  • Tasahil
  • Hay Hanuman
  • Ab Tak
  • gul aftaab

Books

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  • Aab-i-Rawan[1]
  • Gulaftab
  • Ratb-o-Yabis
  • Ghubaaralood simtaun ka suragh[1]
  • Sar-i-aam
  • Aib-o-hunar
  • Vehm-o-gumaan[1]

Awards and recognition

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Naseer Ahmad (2 April 2009). "Zafar Iqbal speaks out on Poetry". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Honouring the distinguished: President approves national civil awards The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 14 August 2013, Retrieved 27 February 2018
  3. ^ a b "Profile of Zafar Iqbal (poet) on rekhta.org website". Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  4. ^ Iftikhar Arif, Waqas Khwaja (4 January 2011). Modern Poetry of Pakistan (Pakistan Literature Series). Dalkey Archive Press (GoogleBooks). ISBN 9781564786692. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  5. ^ Zafar Iqbal an Urdu poet and columnist urduadab4u.com website, Retrieved 26 February 2018
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