Occupation Poet, journalist Name Zafar Khan | Role Writer | |
 | ||
Died November 27, 1956, Wazirabad | ||
Education Aligarh Muslim University | ||
Chandni raat mein ustad zafar ali old
Zafar Ali Khan (1873– 27 November 1956) (Punjabi: ظفرؔ علی خان – Ẓafar ʿAlī Xān), also known as Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, was a writer, poet, translator and a journalist who played an important role in the Pakistan Movement against the British Raj.
Contents
- Chandni raat mein ustad zafar ali old
- Journalist maulana zafar ali khan pkg by akhtar hayat city42
- Early life
- Career
- Poetry
- Most popular Naats
- Death
- Memorials and legacy
- References
Journalist maulana zafar ali khan pkg by akhtar hayat city42
Early life
Zafar was born into a Punjabi Janjua family at Kot Mehrath, a small village named 'karmabad' near Wazirabad, which at the time was part of British India. He received his early education at Mission High School, Wazirabad, Gujranwala District., matriculated (10th grade) from Patiala, and passed his intermediate (12th grade) from the Aligarh College. Next, he worked in the postal department of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the same place where his father worked, but resigned over a row with his seniors. He rejoined Aligarh College and gained his BA degree from there.
Career
After graduation, Khan was appointed secretary to a Muslim political leader Mohsin-ul-Mulk, then in Bombay. Then he worked for some time as a translator in Hyderabad, Deccan, rising to the post of Secretary, Home Department. He returned from Hyderabad and launched his daily Zamindar newspaper from Lahore which was founded by his father Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad.
In the 1930s he started writing against the Qadianis and waged a campaign against them in his daily Zamindar newspaper.
Poetry
He chose to write in Urdu, instead of his mother toungue Punjabi. Khan's interest in poetry began in his childhood. His poems have religious and political sentiment. He was specially versed in impromptu compositions. His poetical output includes Baharistan, Nigaristan, and Chamanistan. His other works are Marka-e-Mazhab-o-Science, Ghalba-e-Rum, Sayr-e-Zulmet and an opera Jang-e-Roos-o-Japan.
Most popular Naats
Death
He died on 27 November 1956, in his hometown Karamabad, near Wazirabad, Punjab. His funeral prayer was led by his companion Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi.
Memorials and legacy
Sahiwal Stadium, а multi-purpose stadium in Sahiwal, Punjab, was renamed as Zafar Ali Stadium in his honour. Іt іs used fоr football and cricket games. The stadium holds 10,000 people.
He served the Pakistan Movement and is acknowledged as the father of Urdu language journalism. It has been said of him: "he was the father of Urdu journalism, … the Zamindar newspaper, when Zafar Ali Khan was the proprietor and editor, was the Urdu newspaper for the Muslims." Recognising Zafar Ali Khan's contributions to the Pakistan Movement, the Punjab government in Pakistan established a 'Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust' that initiated the 'Zafar Ali Khan Award' for outstanding journalists to be awarded every year. A Public degree college in Wazirabad is named after him as Government Molana Zafar Ali Khan Degree College.
Pakistan Post issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series.