Islamabad, 21 December 2022 (GNP): Hafeez Jalandhari, the author of Pakistan’s National Anthem, was born on 14 January 1900. In 1947, after independence, he migrated to Lahore from Jalandhar. He was remembered by the nation on his 40th death anniversary.
His life was full of inspiration; the first collection of his poems, Nagma-e-Zar, was published in 1935. He also wrote several songs during World War II. He was part of the Pakistan movement and inspired people through his writing for the cause of Pakistan.
“Watan Hamara Azad Kashmir,” the national anthem of Kashmir, is also written by him. He also wrote patriotic songs in the 1965 Indo-Pak war to boost the nation’s morale and armed forces.
The themes of his poetry are romantic, religious, patriotic, and natural. ‘Abhi Toh Mein Jawan Hoon’ is one of his famous poems, popular among the public. Although he was a devoted Muslim, he wrote a poem on the Hindu god Krishna, Krishn Kanhaiya.
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His book, Shahnama e Islam, an Islamic history book, contains Islamic history in poetic form. Due to this book, he got the title “Ferdowsi-e-Islam.” He also wrote other books like Soz-o-Saaz and Chiragh-i-Sehar.
Jalandhari was the advisor of Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan and also served in the armed forces as deputy director of moral.
The President of Pakistan awarded him Hilal-i-Imtiaz due to his literary and patriotic services. In 1958, he was also awarded the Pride of Performance Award by the government of Pakistan.
He died at the age of 82, on December 21, 2022, in Lahore. First, he was buried in Model Town; later, her remains were shifted to the tomb built near Minar-e-Pakistan, by the government of Pakistan.
The post office issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor in 2001.
