| Khalid Ahmad خالد احمد PP | |
|---|---|
 Khalid Ahmad at an event | |
| Born | (1943-06-05)June 5, 1943 Lucknow, British India |
| Died | March 19, 2013(2013-03-19) (aged 69) Lahore, Pakistan |
| Occupation | |
| Language | Urdu |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Notable awards | Pride of Performance in 2011 |
| Relatives |
|
Khalid Ahmad, PP (5 June 1943 – 19 March 2013) was a Pakistani Urdu poet, playwright and columnist. Born in Lucknow, to Mohammad Mustafa Khan Maddah, a then writer & politician for the Indian National Congress.
Early life
After the partition of British India in 1947, Khalid, along with his mother and siblings, moved to Pakistan. His father, however, did not migrate, as he was against the partition and had also previously been imprisoned for his involvement in the Swaraj movement.
He matriculated from Muslim Model High School, Lahore in 1957 and then did his B.Sc. from Dayal Singh College. He was a brother to personalities such as Khadija Mastoor, Hajra Masroor, and Tausif Ahmad. Khalid belonged to a learned family of academic and literary background. Famous Urdu poet Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi was their family friend, in fact their family's guardian when they arrived in Lahore, and a huge influence on Khalid Ahmad’s personality and poetry.
Career
After obtaining a Master's degree in Physics from Government Islamia College, Lahore, he started working as an Information Officer at the Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA). Later, from the same department, he retired from the post of Deputy Controller.
Khalid wrote a column in the 'Daily Imroz’, titled, ‘Lamha-Lamha’. He also regularly wrote for the literary magazine ‘Funoon’. He was both an essayist and playwright for the Pakistan Television Corporation, but became known among the masses owing to his beautiful poetry. Khalid published his literary magazine ‘Bayaz’ for 22 years before his death. The magazine is still published every month in Lahore, in 2025.
Khalid Ahmad is counted among the poets who introduced Urdu Ghazal to new trends, giving a new definition to progressive-ism. One of his most famous Ghazal, "Tark-e-Talluqat," features lines that were incorporated into the drama Humsafar's OST "Woh Humsafar Tha" by Quratulain Balouch;
"tark-e-ta.alluqāt pe royā na tū na maiñ, lekin ye kyā ki chain se soyā na tū na maiñ"
Selected bibliography
Books
- Daraz Palkon ke Saaye Saaye
- Aik Muthi Havaa
- Pehli Sada Parinde Ki
- Hatheliyon par Charagh
- Tashbeeb
- Jadeed Tar Pakistani Adab
- Nam Garifta
Drama Serials
- Kajal Ghar (PTV)
- Ghubar (PTV)
- Kiran 1989 (PTV)
- Khirman (PTV drama based on Khadija Mastoor's short story "Khirman")
Awards and recognition
- In recognition of his exceptional literary contributions, he was awarded the prestigious Pride of Performance award in 2011 by the President of Pakistan, honoring his profound impact on Urdu literature.
- Received the Qaumi Adabi Award in 1999, from the prestigious Pakistan Academy of Letters for his Urdu poetry book "Daraz Palkon Ke Saaye Saaye", recognizing his literary excellence.
Death
He passed away on March 19, 2013, after a brave battle with lung cancer, a result of his long history of smoking for many years. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
The literary community expressed their condolences and grief over the passing of Khalid Ahmad. Amjad Islam Amjad, in his tribute, shared that he had lost a lifelong companion, describing Ahmad as a poet of substance and a man with a strong resolve. Poet Abbas Tabish reflected on Ahmad’s legacy, noting that he had trained at least three generations of poets and was known for his progressive ideas. Ata ul Haq Qasmi remembered him as a stern and dedicated poet. The Punjab Chief Minister, Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over his passing, remembering him for his unique poetry. A large number of people from the literary circles attended Khalid Ahmad’s funeral.
References
- ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (20 March 2013). "Poet Khalid laid to rest". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ Maddah, Mohammad Mustafa Khan (1959). Urdu-hindi Shabd Kos. pp. 4–8.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - Maddah, Mohammad Mustafa Khan (1939). Josh-o-Amal [Passion of Action] (in Urdu). Jayyad Barki Press Delhi.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - "Novelist, short story writer Khadija Mastoor remembered". The Nation. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- "Death anniversary of Hajra Masroor observed". www.radio.gov.pk. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- Sarai(CSDS). Funoon 1964 Urdu Lahore Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi.
- "'Bayaz' — an affordable literary treasure". Daily Times. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- hamna.zubair (2 March 2012). "Woh humsafar tha..." The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- "ख़दीजा मस्तूर - कहानी". Rekhta (in Hindi). Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- Zain Ahmed (22 March 2011). "Truly triumphant (Khalid Ahmad's Pride of Performance Award info included)". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- The award number is 1418th, awarded on 23rd August 1999 in Islamabad.
- "Khalid Ahmad passes away". The Nation (newspaper). 19 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- "Renowned poet Khalid Ahmad passes away – Business Recorder". Retrieved 15 January 2025.