Maryslanker at 06:46, 29 April 2026

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{{Short description|Pakistani journalist (1942–2020)}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ahfaz-ur-Rahman<br /><small>{{Nastaliq|احفاظُ الرّحمٰن}}</small>
| image = Ahfaz profile.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Ahfaz-ur-Rahman
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1942|04|04}}
| birth_place = [[Jabalpur]], British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2020|04|12|1942|04|04}}
| death_place = [[Karachi]], Pakistan
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Journalist
}}
'''Ahfaz-ur-Rahman''' ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq| احفاظُ الرّحمٰن}}}} ) (born 4 April 1942 – 12 April 2020), was a Pakistani journalist, writer and poet. He strived for the [[freedom of the press]] and for the rights of journalists under military dictatorships and even civilian governments.

Rahman was the author of many books including some on the journalist movement against the military dictatorship of [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] in Pakistan, collections of articles on international dissidents, and collections of poetry. He also translated several books into Urdu.<ref name="Tribune.com.pk">{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/639048/zinda-hai-zindagi-ahfazur-rahmans-poems-hide-messages-of-misfortunes-in-an-optimistic-title/ |title='Zinda Hai Zindagi': Ahfazur Rahman's poems hide messages of misfortunes in an optimistic title |publisher=The Express Tribune|date= 30 November 2013|accessdate=2013-12-03}}</ref> He died on 12 April 2020 in Karachi, Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/humanrights/2020/04/journalist-ahfaz-ur-rahman-who-fought-three-military-dictatorships/|title=Journalist who fought 3 dictatorships passes away|date=12 April 2020|website=Samaa TV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1548615|title=Renowned journalist Ahfaz ur Rahman passes away at 78|first=Imtiaz|last=Ali|date=12 April 2020|website=Dawn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/04/12/senior-journalist-ahfazur-rahman-passes-away/|title=Senior journalist Ahfazur Rahman passes away|website=Pakistan Today}}</ref>

==Personal life==
===Background===
[[File:Ahfaz with Faiz Ahmad Faiz.jpg|thumb|right|Rahman receiving the first prize from [[Faiz Ahmad Faiz]] in an [[Indo-Pak]] Youth Essay Writing Competition on Faiz]]

Rahman was born in [[Jabalpur]], [[British India]] in 1942. He along with his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947.<ref name="jang.com.pk">{{cite web|title=Dialogue, NOS, The News International|url=https://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2008-weekly/nos-09-03-2008/dia.htm|publisher=Jang.com.pk|accessdate=2013-06-04}}</ref> During his secondary education, he won prizes for his writings.<ref name="jang.com.pk"/> He was inspired by [[Sahir Ludhyanvi]], [[Krishan Chander]] and other stalwarts of the [[Progressive Writers' Movement]] since his early years. He became a student leader of the left-wing student organization, [[National Students Federation]] (NSF) and took part in 1962 and 1964 student uprisings against General [[Ayub Khan (Field Marshal)|Ayub Khan]]'s regime.<ref name="jang.com.pk"/> In 1969, he went to work in the [[Foreign Languages Press]] in Beijing, China, during the [[Cultural Revolution]].

[[File:Ahfaz farmers1.jpg|thumb|Rahman working alongside Chinese farmers in rural China, during the [[Cultural Revolution]]]]

===Activism===
[[File:Ahfaz police.jpg|thumb|right|Rahman on the ground during protests against the [[Pervez Musharraf|Musharraf]] regime's decision to ban media channels in 2007]]

Rahman began his activism upon returning to Pakistan from China at the end of 1972. During the General Zia ul Haq's dictatorial regime, he organized the movement for the freedom of the press. He was one of the three journalists who went underground to continue the movement, and eventually also went to prison. The movement had started in 1977, when the Daily Musawaat in Karachi, a newspaper with [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP) leanings, was banned by General Zia's government.<ref name="jang.com.pk"/>

In December 1977, journalists from all over the country came to Karachi to court arrest in batches. Rahman was the first journalist to be arrested in the first batch. From 30 April 1978 to 30 May 1978, more than 120 journalists who came from various cities to court arrest in [[Lahore]] were arrested and sent to different jails of the [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] province. Rahman was again among the first to be arrested and sent to Camp Jail, Lahore. Later he was taken out of jail and barred from entering the Punjab province for six months.

In July 1978 journalists from all corners came to Karachi for courting arrest and were sent to different jails of the Sindh province. In the meantime, Rahman went underground to organize batches consisting of journalists, workers, peasants and student volunteers for court arrest.<ref name="jang.com.pk"/>

After the movement ended, Rahman was blacklisted by all major newspapers and magazines. As a result, he faced economic difficulties due to a long period of unemployment. Finally in 1985, he found employment in the Foreign Language Press in Beijing China, for which he had worked sixteen years earlier.

==Journalistic career==
After returning to Pakistan in 1993, with the Zia era over, Rahman joined [[Daily Jang]], the largest selling Urdu newspaper in Pakistan, as the magazine editor.
In 2002, he was elected unopposed President of the [[Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists]] (PFUJ), which is the sole representative body of Pakistani journalists.

As the president of the PFUJ<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/55804 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804153154/http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/55804 |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2012 |title=Detained French journalists announce hunger strike, Pakistani journalist's whereabouts remain unknown |publisher=IFEX |accessdate=2013-06-04 }}</ref> he protested against the newspaper and media house owners for not giving the workers their due rights and for not implementing the Wage Board Award<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/2004/08/govt-believes-in-freedom-of-press/|title=Wage Board Award|publisher=Pakistan Press Foundation.org|accessdate=2015-07-29}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> as had been directed by the Government.
He was terminated from services for his outspoken activism.<ref name="asiamedia.ucla.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southasia.asp?parentid=9797 |title=AsiaMedia, Sunday, April 4, 2004. Pakistan: PFUJ condemns victimization |publisher=Asiamedia.ucla.edu |date=2004-04-04 |accessdate=2013-06-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322052728/http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southasia.asp?parentid=9797 |archivedate=22 March 2012 }}</ref>
After yet another period of unemployment, Rahman found a job in the Urdu newspaper [[Daily Express (Urdu newspaper)|Daily Express]]. He also wrote a weekly column that appeared on Sundays in Daily Express, titled "Black and White" (''Syaah o Safaid'').
In November 2007, Rahman was among the first journalists to be arrested<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.ch/2007_11_21_archive.html |title=Emergency Times|work=pakistanmartiallaw.blogspot.ch/|accessdate=2015-07-29}}</ref> during the protests against the [[Pervez Musharraf|Musharraf]] government's decision to ban several media channels.
Rahman worked to "revitalize" the [[Karachi Press Club]] and "condemned the opportunist elements that were bent upon de-politicizing the vibrant club".

In February 2008, in what was a first in the history of Pakistani literature, four of his newly published books were launched at Arts Council Karachi<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/290571/karachi-writer-says-imperialism-country |title=Writer Says Imperialism Country's Biggest Threat|work=Dawn|date= 23 February 2008|access-date=2015-07-29}}</ref> on the same day in a well-attended ceremony that attracted people, including poets, writers, journalists, trade unionists and activists.

At the sixth International Urdu Conference that took place at the [[Karachi Arts Council]] in November 2013, a new collection of Rahman's poetry, titled ''Zinda Hai Zindagi'' ("Life, it is alive!") was launched. Leading poet and feminist [[Fehmida Riaz]] spoke on the occasion and said, "His poetry is an engaging account of our collective yearnings for what this nation has yet to achieve." [[Zahida Hina]] and Shamim Hanfi also spoke on the occasion, about Rahman's literary works.<ref name="Tribune.com.pk"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-216882-Bold-writings-will-help-reduce-acts-of- |title=Bold writings will help reduce acts of terrorism, says Qaim |publisher=The News International|accessdate=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129045753/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-216882-Bold-writings-will-help-reduce-acts-of- |archivedate=29 November 2013 }}</ref> Senior writer and [[Man Booker International Prize]] nominee for 2013, [[Intizar Hussain]] in his review of the collection, opined that through his poetry Rahman is "searching for hope amid despair".<ref name="dawn_intizar">{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1058489 |title=Books and Authors, Dawn |work=Dawn|date= 25 November 2013|accessdate=2013-12-02}}</ref>


In 2015, Rahman wrote and compiled a book about the historic press freedom movement against the Zia-ul-Haq dictatorship. The book launching event was attended by the intellectual "creme de la creme" of Karachi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1182362 |title='Say Say Bari Jang Launched: Dawn |work=Dawn|date= 17 May 2015|accessdate=2015-07-29}}</ref> The book chronicles the movement for the freedom of the press by journalists in 1977-78 when journalists were incarcerated and flogged for their struggle for freedom of the press and unhindered information by then-president General Zia ul Haq and his coterie.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-318656-A-book-that-looks-back-at-a-pernicious-era |title='A book that looks back at a pernicious era: The News|publisher=news.com.pk|accessdate=2015-07-29}}</ref> Writing in Dawn's "Books and Authors", noted journalist Muhammad Ali Siddiqi, said that "the book is an important addition to the meagre literature available on the fourth estate in Pakistan".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1212171/review-in-the-name-of-freedomahfazur-rahmans-sub-se-barri-jang |title=In the Name of Freedom, AhfazurRahman's Sab Say Bari Jang: Dawn|work=Dawn|date= 11 October 2015|accessdate=2016-01-17}}</ref>

===In newspapers as===
* Group Magazine Editor, Express 2005–2018
* Executive Editor Daily Amn, 2004–2005
* Group Magazine Editor, Daily Jang 1993–2003

===Professional trade unionism===
* Member Executive Council National Students Federation (NSF), Pakistan

==Memorial Award==
In 2022 the Rahman family in collaboration with the Ahfaz ur Rahman Award Organizing Committee and the Karachi Arts Council, created the Ahfaz ur Rahman Award for Courage and Freedom of Expression. The list of [https://www.ahfazonline.com/ahfaz-ur-rahman-award/award-jury/ jury members] comprises distinguished intellectuals and activists, who will decide on the awardees each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1682460 |title='Ahfaz ur Rahman Award Tomorrow'|date=30 March 2022 }}</ref>

In 2022, the lifetime achievement award was presented to Mr. [[Amar Jaleel]], the writer and journalist for his writings in Sindhi, Urdu and English. The contemporary award was presented to the journalist Ms. [[Asma Shirazi]] who has garnered a justly honorable reputation for her principled reporting and analysis amid a unscrupulous attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1682913 |title='Journalists Amar Jalil, Asma Shirazi get Ahfaz-ur-Rehman Awards'|date=2 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/946284-amar-jalil-asma-shirazi-honoured-over-courageous-journalism |title='Amar Jalil, Asma Shirazi honoured over courageous journalism'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.journalismpakistan.com/ahfaz-ur-rahman-courageous-journalism-awards-for-asma-shirazi-amar-jalil |title='Ahfaz-ur-Rahman courageous journalism awards for Asma Shirazi, Amar Jalil'}}</ref>

==Selected bibliography==
'''Poetry'''
* Zinda Hai Zindagi, a collection of poems <ref name="dawn_intizar"/>

'''Journalism'''
* Jang Jari Rahegi, a collection or newspaper articles broadly on anti-imperialist and anti-war themes, including profile pieces on John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Justice Kiyani etc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xklsv.org/viewwiki.php?title=Ahfaz-ur-Rahman|title=Suppressed voices: Jang Jari Rahegi|work=xklsv.org/|accessdate=2016-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427111648/http://www.xklsv.org/viewwiki.php?title=Ahfaz-ur-Rahman|archive-date=27 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
'''Historical'''
* Sab Say Bari Jang: A book about 1977-78 movement for Press Freedom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/887994/suppressed-voices-remembering-the-struggle-of-journalists-in-1977/ |title=Suppressed voices: Remembering the struggle of journalists in 1977|publisher=The Express Tribune|date= 18 May 2015|accessdate=2015-07-29}}</ref>
'''Original Urdu Work'''
* 30 short stories in literary magazines<ref name="jang.com.pk"/>

==See also==
{{colbegin}}
*[[List of Pakistani journalists]]
*[[List of Pakistani poets]]
*[[List of Pakistani writers]]
*[[List of Urdu poets]]
*[[List of Urdu writers]]
{{colend}}

==References==
{{commons category|Ahfaz-ur-Rahman}}
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahman, Ahfaz Ur}}
[[Category:Activist journalists]]
[[Category:Chinese–Urdu translators]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Pakistani expatriates in China]]
[[Category:Pakistani male journalists]]
[[Category:Pakistani translators]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Urdu-language Pakistani poets]]
[[Category:Journalists from Karachi]]
[[Category:Writers from Karachi]]
[[Category:Pakistani socialists]]
[[Category:Pakistani Marxists]]
[[Category:People from Jabalpur]]
[[Category:Pakistani columnists]]
[[Category:Pakistani newspaper editors]]
[[Category:Pakistani trade unionists]]
[[Category:Pakistani human rights activists]]
[[Category:20th-century Pakistani poets]]
[[Category:Pakistani prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Pakistani male poets]]

Ahfazur Rahman - Revision history

Maryslanker at 06:46, 29 April 2026