Ashfaq Ahmed (Urdu: اشفاق
احمد) (22 August 1925 – 7 September 2004) was a writer, playwright,
broadcaster, intellectual and spiritualist from Pakistan. He was regarded by
many as among the finest Urdu Afsana (short-story) writers alongside Saadat
Hasan Manto, Qurratulain Hyder, Prem Chand, Bedi, Mirza Adeeb, Ismat Chughtai and
Krishan Chander following the publication of his short-story Gaddarya
("The Shepherd") in 1955.
Ashfaq Ahmed's humour is reflected in his long-running radio programs and
characters like Talqeen Shah, while several TV drama series based on his
plays are still broadcast. His TV plays include Aik muhabbat sau afsanay
("Bunch of Love Stories"), Uchhay burj Lahore dey
("Barbicans of Lahore"), Tota kahani ("Story of the
Parrot"), Lekin ("But"), Hairat kadah
("Incredibility") and Mun chalay ka sauda ("Bargain of
the Stubborn"). Throughout his life, Ahmad endeavoured to reform society
through his writings. He authored over twenty five books including a
travelogue, Safar dar safar {"Long Way Journey"). In fact, he
gave a new mould to diction and locale situations which many of his readers
would fondly remember. He used Punjabi literary words very well in Urdu and
introduced a new kind of prose, which was unique to him. For his excellent
literary work, he was awarded the President's Pride of Performance and Sitara-i-Imtiaz
for meritorious services in the field of literature and broadcasting.In his
later period of life, Ahmed was greatly inclined towards sufism, which was
reflected in most of his works and in his close association with Qudrat Ullah
Shahab and Mumtaz Mufti.
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