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Muhammad Izhar ul Haq, is a well-known columnist and a renowned poet of Urdu language, in Pakistan. He has received Pride of Performance award (2008) for his literary services as well as two highest literary awards in the country. He has four books of poetry to his credit:
- Deevar e Aab (winner of Adamjee Award for Literature)
- Ghadar
- Parizad
- Pani Peh Bichha Takht (winner of Allama Iqbal Award 2003 )
Izhar is best known for his ghazal, although his nazm and nasri nazm are also very popular among the literary circles of South Asia.
Izhar also writes columns in the leading Urdu newspapers of Pakistan. He has been a regular columnist in Daily Pakistan, Jang, Daily Jinnah and presently in Nawaiwaqt, and The Nation. Izhar has been a civil servant by profession, and has retired from the government of Pakistan.
Born on 14 Feb 1948 in the village Jhendial, in the western most district of Punjab, Attock, Muhammad Izhar ul Haq got his early education from his grandfather and father. His grandfather, Ghulam Muhammad, was a famous scholar and jurist of his time and was known for teaching Persian literature and language. Muhammad Izhar ul Haq’s father , Hafiz Muhammad Zahoor ul Haq Zahoor, also a scholar of high repute, was author of a number of books in Persian and Urdu in poetry as well as prose.
During his school and college years, Muhammad Izhar ul Haq continued to study Persian literature and Arabic at home. He topped in government college Rawalpindi in graduation examination and won Roll of Honour. He was awarded Federal Government Inter-wing fellowship under which he did his MA Economics from Dhaka University. Later, he did MA in Arabic from Punjab University as external candidate and also learnt Uzbek from Afghan Uzbeks.
In 1972, he joined Civil service of Pakistan as a result of Central superior Services Competitive examination. He ascended to the highest echelon of the Bureaucracy. Having worked as Military Accountant General of Pakistan, and later, as Additional Secretary Military Finance, he retired in 2008 as Additional Auditor General of Pakistan, a post equivalent, in rank, to Federal Secretary.
Muhammad Izhar ul Haq is considered a trend-setter in modern Urdu ghazal. His first book, Diwaar-e-aab (1982) won Adam Jee award, the highest literary distinction at that time in the country. His two subsequent books in Urdu poetry, Ghadr and Paree-zaad hit the stalls in 1986 and 1995 respectively. His fourth book, Paani peh Bichaa Takht, was conferred yet another honor, Allama Iqbal award, in 2003.
Muhammad Izhar ul Haq has been writing columns on socioeconomic, political and literary issues in major dailies of the country. He writes in English with equal ease. His columns are published in Daily Nation, Daily The News, The Bangladesh Today, and Holiday International Dhaka. He also contributes occasionally to Australian print media. His articles are published in The Age and Eureka Street.
On 23rd March 2009, Muhammad Izhar ul Haq was awarded Pride of Performance in literature by the president of Pakistan.
Widely travelled, he has explored Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, China, Australia, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Somalia, Morocco, Italy, Spain, Britain, Belgium, Holland, Canada, USA and Mexico.
Muhammad Izhar ul Haq has three sons and two daughters, and lives with Zahida Shaheen, his wife, in Islamabad and Melbourne.
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