Amjad Islam Amjad – The CAP Podcast #45

Amjad Islam Amjad was awarded with Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz. He is a writer, poet and lyricist. In conversation with The Citizens Archive of Pakistan, Mr. Amjad fondly recalls how Lahore in the 1960s was a small, peaceful city. He further speaks about Lahore where he grew up and how much he misses the city, its people, its norms and its food.

Amjad Islam Amjad, PP, Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Urdu: امجد اسلام امجد) (born 4 August 1944) is an Urdu poet, drama writer andlyricist from Pakistan. He has received many awards for his literary work and screenplay for TV, including Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz.

Biography

Amjad was born in the Punjab Lahore in British India, now in Pakistan.  His family originally belonged to Sialkot. He received his secondary education in Lahore, and graduated from Government Islamia College Civil Lines, Lahore. He was also member of the college cricket team and participated in the inter collegiate tournament. He qualified forMasters of Arts degree in Urdu literature from Punjab University. He began his career as a lecturer in Govt. M.A.O College Lahore. He worked as a director at Pakistan Television Corporation from 1975 to 1979, before returning to teaching.

In 1989, Amjad was appointed as Director General of Urdu Science Board. He has also worked as a project director of the Children Library Complex. Amjad is the writer of many drama series for Pakistan Television Corporation including Waris. He has written many columns, translation, criticism and essays while his main focus remained writing Nazms, a type of Urdu poetry. Among his most notable dramas are Waris, Dehleez, Samandar, Raat, Waqt and Apnay Loug.

In June 2008, he joined Urdu newspaper Daily Express and writes column with the title of "Chasham-e-Tamasha".

Awards

• Pride of Performance


• Sitara-e-Imtiaz


• 16 Graduate Awards


• 12 PTV Awards for the best writer