Ahmad Faraz was an Urdu language Pakistani poet from Pakistan. He is considered one of the greatest modern Urdu poets of the last century. Faraz is his pseudonym or 'takhalus'. His real name was Syed Ahmad Shah.
Faraz is critically acclaimed for simplicity to his style of writing and he is often compared to Faiz Ahmed Faiz - one of the greatest poets of Pakistan. Outspoken about politics, he went into self-imposed exile during the General Zia-ul-Haq era after he was arrested for reciting certain poems at a Mushaira criticizing the military rule. He stayed for 6 years in Britain, Canada and Europe before returning to Pakistan, where he was initially appointed Chairman of Pakistan Academy of Letters and later chairperson of National Book Foundation for several years.
He was awarded the highest literary award of Pakistan Kamal-e-Fun Award in 2000 and Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2004, in recognition of his services to literature. He returned the latter in 2006 after becoming disenchanted with the Pakistani government and its policies.
Faraz is critically acclaimed for simplicity to his style of writing and he is often compared to Faiz Ahmed Faiz - one of the greatest poets of Pakistan. Outspoken about politics, he went into self-imposed exile during the General Zia-ul-Haq era after he was arrested for reciting certain poems at a Mushaira criticizing the military rule. He stayed for 6 years in Britain, Canada and Europe before returning to Pakistan, where he was initially appointed Chairman of Pakistan Academy of Letters and later chairperson of National Book Foundation for several years.
He was awarded the highest literary award of Pakistan Kamal-e-Fun Award in 2000 and Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2004, in recognition of his services to literature. He returned the latter in 2006 after becoming disenchanted with the Pakistani government and its policies.
