Fakhar Zaman (poet)

{{Infobox writer

| name = Fakhar Zaman

| image = Fakhar Zaman.jpg

| caption = Fakhar Zaman addressing press conference on the eve of International Conference of Writers, Artists and Intellectuals in Islamabad, Pakistan

| pseudonym =

| birth_name = Fakhar Zaman

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1943}}

| birth_place = Gujrat, Punjab Province, British India

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| occupation = Ex-chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters

| nationality = Pakistani

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| education =

| alma_mater = University of Punjab

| period =

| genre = Poet, Playwright, Novelist

| subject =

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| notableworks = The Prisoner, The Lost Seven, Deadman's Tale, The Alien Bewafa, The Low Born

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| awards = Sitara-e-Imtiaz-1994
Millennium Award
Hilal-e-Imtiaz-2008
Shiromani Sahitik Award
Punjab Ratan Award

| signature =

| website = [http://www.pal.gov.pk/ Pakistan Academy of Letters]
[http://www.worldpunjabicongress.com World Punjabi Congress]

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}}

Fakhar Zaman ({{langx|ur|فخر زمان}}) was the chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters from 11 May 2008 to 12 March 2012, when Abdul Hameed replaced him as the next appointed chairman of the body.[http://www.dawn.com/news/329594/sindhi-writers-hail-fakhar-zaman-as-pal-chief Sindhi writers hail Fakhar Zaman as PAL chief] Dawn (newspaper), Published 12 November 2008, Retrieved 29 March 2018[https://web.archive.org/web/20160308033537/http://www.pal.gov.pk/?page_id=1819 List of Chairman Office Holders on Pakistan Academy of Letters website] Retrieved 29 March 2018 A leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the chairman of the World Punjabi Congress,[http://www.dawn.com/news/273743/fakhar-zaman-urges-national-consensus Fakhar Zaman urges national consensus] Dawn (newspaper), Published 1 November 2007, Retrieved 29 March 2018 he has also been playing a notable role in politics to achieve his sociopolitical ideals.

He is a celebrated Pakistani writer who is author of 40 books in Punjabi, Urdu and English. His Punjabi novels and poetry have been translated into several major languages of the world and are taught at post-graduate level in different countries for students seeking PhD and M.Phil degrees. Thesis have been written on his Punjabi writings in India. Five of his Punjabi books including his modern classic novel "Bandiwan"{{Cite web|title = Interview with Punjabi writer Fakhar Zaman|url = http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/content/interview-punjabi-writer-fakhar-zaman|website = sbs.com website|access-date =29 March 2018}} (The Prisoner), were banned, forcibly lifted from book stores and burned publicly by the military government in 1978 and after a long drawn litigation, the ban was lifted after 18 years.

He has received several international and national awards including the Hilal-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Imtiaz awards by the Pakistan government, Shiromani Sahitak Award from the Indian government and the Millennium Award for Best Punjabi Novelist of the 20th century.

Fakhar Zaman has been a Minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government, a senator and two-time Chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters. Presently he is the Chairman of World Punjabi Congress and International Sufi Council.

Early life

Fakhar Zaman was born in Gujrat, Punjab in a Jatt family. His father, Major Muhammad Zaman was a known social and political figure of Punjab of his time. He was educated in Mission High School, Gujrat and did his BA degree from The Zamindar College, Gujrat. After doing his masters degree in social works and a degree in Law, Post Graduate Diploma in International Affairs, he spent some time in Netherlands where he did post graduate studies in Social Welfare and International Relations and obtained certificate in International Law from the International Court of Justice.

He published and edited a monthly English magazine namely "The Voice" which was folded by Ayub Khan’s military regime. Subsequently he edited a monthly Urdu magazine "Bazgasht" which was also banned during Zia-ul-Haq period. His Punjabi weekly "Wangaar" was also banned by the military regime.

Political career

Fakhar Zaman joined the PPP of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1970. He served as honorary political adviser to Begum Nusrat Bhutto from 1973 to 1977 and was elected Senator in 1977. He was appointed President of the Cultural wing of PPP by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 1984. He was appointed Vice President of PPP (Punjab) from 1987 to 1989 and President of PPP (Punjab) during 1989–1993 period. He has been on the Central Executive Committee of PPP in the past. He was President of PPP Policy and Planning Committee (Punjab) from 1996 to 2002. He was appointed chairman, National Commission on History and Culture (1993–96) and chairman, Pakistan Academy of Letters and Minister for Culture during the same period. Then he was again appointed chairman, PAL from 2008 to 2011.{{Cite web|title=Literate, NOS, The News International (newspaper) |url=http://jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2009-weekly/nos-13-12-2009/lit.htm#top |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916011151/https://jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2009-weekly/nos-13-12-2009/lit.htm#top |url-status=live |archive-date=2017-09-16 |website=jang.com.pk (newspaper)|access-date=29 March 2018}}

Minister of Culture

Fakhar Zaman attended UNESCO conferences in Paris during this period. He was the architect of first ever Cultural Policy of Pakistan promulgated in 1995.{{Cite web|title = Adabiyat-e-Pakistan: Tribute to Fakhar Zaman by Dr. Mohammad Ali Siddiqui|url = http://adabiyatepakistan.blogspot.com/2009/10/tribute-to-fakhar-zaman-by-dr-mohammad.html|website = adabiyatepakistan.blogspot.com|access-date =29 March 2018}}{{Cite book|title = Modern Poetry of Pakistan|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4dg3BAAAQBAJ|publisher = Columbia University Press|date = 2011-01-04|isbn = 9781564786692|first = Iftikhar|last = Arif|first2 = Waqas|last2 = Khwaja}}

Post-Martial Law

Fakhar Zaman's five books were banned by the Military Regime of General Zia-UL-Haq, forcibly lifted from the book shops and burnt publicly. After a litigation of 18 years, the ban was lifted by Lahore High Court in 1996.{{Cite book|title = Ban lifted after 18 years from Fakhar Zaman's 4 books: full text of the writ petition & the judgement of Lahore High Court.|url = http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/003251745|publisher = Pakistan Academy of Letters|date = 1996-01-01|location = Islamabad|series = Ban lifted after eighteen years from Fakhar Zaman's four books}}

In 1984, he spent a few months in Stockholm University, Sweden attending seminars and lecturing on social sciences. He writes in Urdu, Punjabi and English language and till date has authored nearly 40 books. He was in Jail for months during the martial law period where he started writing his famous Punjabi novel "Bandiwan" translated into English as "The Prisoner" and published by UNESCO and Peter Owen of London.{{Cite web|title = Choronogy of Events: Pakistan Peoples Party|url = http://www.pppusa.org/chronology.htm|website = www.pppusa.org|access-date = 29 March 2018|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131028154335/http://www.pppusa.org/chronology.htm|archive-date = 28 October 2013|df = dmy-all}} His Punjabi writings have been translated into major languages in the world and are taught at post-graduate level in Pakistan, India and some foreign countries. A number of PhD and M-Phil theses have been written on his Punjabi novels and poetry in India.{{Cite web|title = World Punjabi Congress|url = http://worldpunjabicongress.com/|website = worldpunjabicongress.com|access-date =29 March 2018}}

Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

When Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on 27 December 2007, he was in Vienna, Austria. When he took over as chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters in 2008, he published a number of books on the life and thoughts of 'Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed'. The history of PPP and the chronological events since the foundation of the party in 1967 has been written by Fakhar Zaman on the website of PPP.

Chairman Academy of Letters

During his chairmanship of Pakistan Academy of Letters (11 May 2008 – 12 March 2012), he produced fourteen documentaries in English on the Sufi poets of Pakistan of about 40 minutes duration each. The documentaries were appreciated nationally and internationally. They were directed by Fakhar Zaman who had a background of film and TV studies from a Canadian university.

There was a Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) produced TV show in Urdu titled Hamarey Sufi Shoraa about the life and times of Pakistani Sufi poets that also aired and it was hosted by Fakhar Zaman.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziUZ-W2IygU, Fakhar Zaman TV interview on YouTube] Retrieved 29 March 2018

World Punjabi Congress

World Punjabi Congress (WPC) was established in 1985. Since its inception, Fakhar Zaman served as its chairman, and he has been the Chairman of International Sufi Council since 2010. WPC has organized 30 international conferences on language, literature, culture and peace in Pakistan, India, Austria, France, Netherlands, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Canada and the US. During 2015, WPC and ISC (International Sufi Council) organized 12 national conferences on Sufi Poets from the four provinces of Pakistan.

Punjabi Language Movements

Fakhar Zaman has been associated with the Punjabi language and culture movements since his university days and has struggled vehemently to get Punjabi language a rightful place in the province of Punjab. Despite his and his colleagues relentless efforts, the present government of Punjab of Pakistan Muslim League (N) has miserably failed to promote the Punjabi language in cahoots with anti-Punjabi elitist bureaucracy of Punjab.

Books

Five of his Punjabi books were banned by Martial Law regime in 1978. Ban was lifted by Lahore High Court in 1996 i.e. after 18-years, a solitary case in the history of world literature. His books are taught at postgraduate level in many Universities of the world. A number of PhD & M.Phil. theses have been written on his Punjabi writings. He has been editing and publishing an English monthly "Voice" Urdu monthly "Bazgasht", Punjabi weekly "Wangaar", all of them were banned by Military regime.His writings especially Punjabi Novels & Poetry have been translated into various languages of the world. Plays based on his Novels have been staged and televised in Pakistan & India.

"Urdu"

Zahraab (Poetry) (1978)
Rastey Kee Dhool (Poetry) (1977)
Deewarein (TV Plays) (1987)
Gardish Mein Paaon (Travelogue) (1986)
Kaladum Tehrerein (Translations) (2004)
Punjab, Punjabi, Punjabiat (History) (2005)
Toon Kay Mein (Novel – translated from Punjabi) (1969)
Waqt ko Tham Lo (Urdu Poetry){{Cite web |date=2018-08-06 |title=The multiple shades of Fakhar Zaman |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/279118/the-multiple-shades-of-fakhar-zaman/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}

"Punjabi"

Chirian Da Chamba (Radio Plays) 1971
Wan Da Boota (Radio Plays) 1972
Kanso Wailey Dee (Poetry) (Also translated into English) 1973
Wangaar (Poetry) (Also translated into English) 1974
Sat Gawachay Lok (Novel) 1977
Ik Marey Bandey Di Kahani (Novel) 1984
Bandiwan (Novel) 1987
Bewatna (Novel) 1996
Kamzat (Novel) 2003
Zwal Di Ghari (Poetry) 2004
Toon Key Mein (Novel) 2005
Fakhar Zaman – A biography 2005
Punjab, Punjabi Tey Punjabiat 1970

"English"

Pakistani Writers (An Empirical Study)
Bhutto, The Political Thinker
Prisoner (Novel) – translated from Punjabi – 2005
Deadman's Tale (Novel) – translated from Punjabi
The Lost Seven (Novel) – translated from Punjabi
The Alien (Novel) – translated from Punjabi
Low Born (Novel) – translated from Punjabi
Outcast (Novel) – translated from Punjabi
Portrait of a Prime Minister – Z.A. Bhutto (Compiler)
Profile of a Leader – Benazir Bhutto (Compiler)
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – Glimpses from the Jail File
You or I (Novel) – translated from Punjabi – 2005
The Life of Ahmad - Thresholds - 2019{{Cite web |date=2019-07-19 |title=Life of Ahmed |url=https://thefridaytimes.com/19-Jul-2019/life-of-ahmed |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Friday Times |language=en}}

Awards

Has been awarded many International Awards on his writings. He was awarded prestigious "Sitara-i-Imtiaz" for Literature by the Government of Pakistan in 1994.
Was awarded "Millennium Award" for the best Punjabi Novelist of the 20th century by prestigious Literary and Cultural Organizations in Pakistan & India.
Was awarded "Hilal-i-Imtiaz" by the Government of Pakistan in 2008.
Was awarded "Shiromani Sahitik" Award" by the Indian Government (East Punjab) 2008. This is the first award ever given to any Pakistani so far.
Was awarded "Punjab Ratan Award" by the Indian Punjab Government in 2020. This is the second highest award in India.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-06 |title=Punjabi Sahit Ratan Award for Fakhar Zaman |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/698079/punjabi-sahit-ratan-award-for-fakhar-zaman/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}

Job experience

Chairman, Pakistan Academy of Letters, Islamabad –Pakistan ( 11 May 2008 – 12 March 2012).
Federal Minister – Chairman, National Commission on History & Culture and Pakistan Academy of Letters (1994–96).
Chief Editor, literary quarterly "Adabiyat" and "Pakistani Literature" (from 1994 to 1996).
Chairman, World Punjabi Congress.
Member, Senate of Pakistan (1977).
President, Pakistan Peoples Party, Punjab (1989–92).
President (Cultural Wing), Pakistan Peoples Party.
President, Policy Planning Committee (PB) Pakistan Peoples Party.
Member, Federal Council Pakistan Peoples Party.
Chairman, Pakistan Democratic Writer's Convention.
Chairman, Pakistan National Committee for World Cultural Decade (UNESCO).
Political Adviser to Begum Nusrat Bhutto (1973–77).
Chairman of the Academic Council of the International Institute of Central Asian Studies, Samarkand, Uzbekistan (1995–96).
Chairman of the International Congress of Writers, Artists and Intellectuals (ICWAI).