Ataulhuq Qasmi

Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi’s career as a writer, poet and public intellectual spans over a period of 50 years. He has been Pakistan’s most celebrated Urdu columnist for decades. His columns, published under the title Rozan-i-Deewar se, have become an enduring feature of daily routine for millions of readers around the world. In addition, Qasmi has written several TV plays and published a collection of poetry as well. This shows the diversity of Qasmi’s talents as a humorist, columnist, travelogue writer, poet and a dramatist par excellence. In addition, he has served as a professor of Urdu literature at M.A.O. College Lahore and F.C. College Lahore. From 1997 to 1999, Qasmi served as an Ambassador of Pakistan to Norway and later to Thailand. From 2008 to 2016, he served as the chairman of Lahore Arts Council and was credited by leading intellectuals and writers for the revival of cultural and literary activities in the city of Lahore using the platform of Alhamra. From 2014 to 2016, he served as the chairman of Pakistan Television Corporation.