The 40th death anniversary of legendary poet and writer Faiz Ahmad Faiz is being observed today.
Born in 1911 in Narowal, Faiz earned wide recognition for his work that influenced Urdu literature all over the world. Faiz Ahmed Faiz was awarded the Lenin peace award by the Soviet Union in 1962 in recognition of his services.
Faiz was one of the most celebrated, popular, and influential Urdu writers of his time, and his works and ideas remain widely influential in Pakistan and beyond. Outside of literature, he has been described as “a man of wide experience”, having worked as a teacher, military officer, journalist, trade unionist, and broadcaster.
Faiz studied at Government College and Oriental College in Lahore and went on to serve in the British Indian Army. After the Partition of India, Faiz served as editor-in-chief of two major newspapers – the English language daily Pakistan Times and the Urdu daily Imroze. He was also a leading member of the Communist Party before his arrest and imprisonment in 1951 for his alleged part in a conspiracy to overthrow the Liaquat administration and replace it with a left-wing, pro-Soviet government.
Faiz was released after four years in prison and spent time in Moscow and London, becoming a notable member of the Progressive Writers’ Movement.