<\/span><\/h2>\nAta has an apparent identity as a humorist, but his personality dimensions are such that it is impossible to cover them. He is a leading columnist, a legendary poet, writer, a great playwright, and a successful administrator. His father was a religious scholar and imam of a mosque. <\/span><\/p>\nIt is a remarkable feat to come out of the house of an imam of a mosque into literature and to write humour of the level of Mushtaq Ahmad, Colonel Muhammad Khan and Shafeeq-ur-Rehman, to write poetry. He did all these things in one life. <\/span><\/p>\nIf Urdu column is an honourable field today, then his contribution in it is 80%. Today if there is humour in the veins of journalism, it is also due to his work. He is the recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance Award, and Hilal-e-Imtiaz.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Qasmi Date of Birth<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe opened his eyes in Amritsar, India in 1943.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/span>Education of Qasmi<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe completed his high school in Lahore and did graduation from Lahore\u2019s MAO College. He secured his Master’s degree from Oriental College.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Ata ul Haq Qasmi\u00a0Family<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe is the son of Maulana Baha-ul-Haq Qasmi, a teacher at MAO High School & MAO College in Amritsar. In 1947 after the creation of Pakistan his parents moved to Pakistan and 1st resided in Wazirabad, then went Lahore and settled there. <\/span><\/p>\nHis son Yasir Pirzada has followed his father\u2019s footsteps and is making his name in the field of column writing. He writes a column for most read newspapers The News and Daily Jang with the name \u2018Off the Beaten Track,\u2019 and \u2018Zara Hutt Kay.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Career<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/span>Joined Nawa-e-Waqat<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe 1st joined an Urdu-language newspaper Nawa-e-Waqat as its sub-editor, Majid Nizami was serving as an editor there. He later began writing the columns for Karachi-based Urdu newspaper Daily Jang and several other newspapers. <\/span><\/p>\nFor Nawa-e-Waqat he writes a column entitled \u2018Rozan-e-Deewar Se.\u2019 As an editor at Nawa-e-Waqt\u2019 his pay was Rupees Three-Hundred and Twenty-Three. In the meantime, he started a lectureship at MAO college and thus managed writing and teaching simultaneously.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Ata](\"https:\/\/www.pakpedia.pk\/files\/Image\/Ata-ul-Haq-Qasmi-Dramas.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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<\/span>As an Author<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHis 1st book entitled \u2018Rozan-e-Deewar Sey\u2019 received \u2018Adam Jee Award.\u2019 Until now he has authored eighteen books. It is generally assumed that text written in a newspaper is the column only, but it\u2019s not true, some columns are short stories, as the title of his one column is \u2018Alladin Key Jinn Ka Zawaal.\u2019 Intezar Hussain described this short story as a high-standard short story in his column.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Unique Writing Style<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHis columns’ unique and distinct character is his humorous style of discussing society\u2019s social inequalities and his stance on anti-dictatorship that he courageously discusses in his columns. And this comic style of handling even severe and critical issues in country differentiates him from all other Pakistani writers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>As an Ambassador<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nFrom 1997-1999 he worked as Pakistan\u2019s Ambassador in Thailand and Norway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Ata ul Haq Qasmi Works<\/span><\/h3>\nHis newspaper columns and books include \u2018Hansana Rona Mana Hei,\u2019 \u2018Shar Goshiyaan,\u2019 \u2018Column Tamaam,\u2019 \u2018Mazid Ganjay Farishtey,\u2019 and several others. In contrast, TV serials include most liked PTV Television Dramas \u2018Apka Khaadim,\u2019 \u2018Shab Daig.\u2019 Mushtaq Chaudhary produced and directed \u2018Sheeda Talli,\u2019 and\u2018Shab Daig.\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\nHis travelogues \u2018Goron Key Dais Mein,\u2019 and \u2018Shoq-e-Awaragi\u2019 are the most popular and widely read.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>As Chairperson of Lahore Arts Council<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2015 he served as honorary chairperson of Lahore Arts Council (also known as Alhamra Arts Council). His services for Alhamra Arts Council has made it country\u2019s most important cultural centre. <\/span><\/p>\nUnder his guidance and chairmanship, Arts & Cultural Festivals held where the Pakistani youth’s talent was stimulated via different cultural activities, including competitions, corporate events, and expressive art.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Compliments Received by other Renowned Personalities<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nLegendary Pakistani journalist Altaaf Gohar once named Qasmi as Pakistan\u2019s humorous newspaper columnist. The renowned writer Mushtaq Ahmed Yousafi called him country\u2019s best and talented newspaper columnist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Worked as PTV Chairperson<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe was designated chairperson of PTV (Pakistan Television Corporation) in 2015 and remained at this post until Dec 2017. He is contributing his efforts to Pakistani Television for more than thirty-five years as a dramatist.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"ata](\"https:\/\/www.pakpedia.pk\/files\/Image\/ata-ul-haq-qasmi-column-on-imran-khan.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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<\/span>Memorable Tasks Done by Qasmi<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nDuring his PTV service, he made an example of dedication and commitment to assigned duties; he saved more than eight-hundred million rupees as chairperson by requesting PM to cut down the service charges, being deducted from PTV by WAPDA on the electricity bill. <\/span><\/p>\nHe visited PM and requested to cut these charges. The Prime Minister agreed and reduced this amount to only Rupees five that was merely a token amount. This saving of Rupees eight-hundred million now helps in paying the staff\u2019s pay. <\/span><\/p>\nAnother important task done by Qasmi was installing AC in rooms of producers for 1st time in TV\u2019s history. He also donated Rupees 1.5 lakh for placing carpets in the mosque of state TV in Multan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Allegations of Receiving Huge Salary<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nHe was accused of receiving 1-crore salary during his tenure as PTV chairperson. He denied all the accusations and told that he used to receive only Rupees Fifteen Lakh that is far less than several anchors of private channels. Qasmi added that he hadn\u2019t received a single penny for his program \u2018Khoye Hwon Ke Justajo\u2019 under which sixty episodes were broadcasted. <\/span><\/p>\nHe further revealed that he used to do four programs per month, but all expenses and production expenses were mentioned in his salary in a campaign against him. Ata told he didn\u2019t even set up a separate office for him and sit in the General Manager’s office. <\/span><\/p>\nIn response to accusations of his lavish spending, he cleared that he used to take only his private secretary with him during his visits to different stations and during his stay in Karachi he accommodated with a 5-member crew in a reasonable accommodation of two-rooms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Declared Ineligible for Government Posts<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nPakistan’s Supreme Court has declared his appointment as MD and chairman of PTV illegal and disqualified him for any government post for life. He was appointed MD of the state-owned TV channel PTV during the last government. Justice Omar Ata Bandial reserved verdict on 12th July in this case. <\/span><\/p>\nThe court ruled that he could not become a director of any company due to his incompetence. Supreme Court ordered him to reimburse Rs. Nineteen Crore, Seventy-Eight Lac that he received in the form of pay and other allowances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Ata ul Haq Qasmi Ghazals<\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Manzilain Bh Yeh Shikastaa Baal-o-Par Bh Dekhna<\/span><\/li>\n
- Wo Gard Hei Ke Waqat Se Ojhal Tu Me Bh Hun<\/span><\/li>\n
- Bhattak Rahe Hei Ata Khalq-e-Be-Amaan Phr Se<\/span><\/li>\n
- Wo Dasht-e-Karab-o-Balla Main Utarnay Deta Nahein<\/span><\/li>\n
- Thori Se Ic Taraf Bh Nazar Hne Chahye<\/span><\/li>\n
- Wo Aik Shakhs Ke Manzil Bh Raasta Bh Hei<\/span><\/li>\n
- Wo Sukon-e-Jisam-o-Jaan Girdaab-e-Jaan Hne Ko Hei<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"Ata](\"https:\/\/www.pakpedia.pk\/files\/Image\/Ata-ul-Haq-Qasmi-ptv.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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<\/span>Ata ul Haq Qasmi Books<\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Dunya Khoobsurat Hei<\/span><\/li>\n
- Ghoron Key Dais Mein<\/span><\/li>\n
- Ghair Mulki Sayyah Ka Safar Nama-e-Lahore<\/span><\/li>\n
- Majmo\u2019oa<\/span><\/li>\n
- Juram-e-Zareefi<\/span><\/li>\n
- Khand-e-Mukarar<\/span><\/li>\n
- Mulaqatain Adhoori Hein<\/span><\/li>\n
- Shoq-e-Awaragi<\/span><\/li>\n
- Muaasir (1983, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/span>Ata ul Haq Qasmi Poems<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Aik Laang Distance Call<\/span><\/li>\n
- Aik Flirt Larki<\/span><\/li>\n
- Traffic Signal\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/span>Columns by Qasmi<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n1. Munu Bhai Key Baad Saaqi Farouqi Aur Tahir Saeed Haroon\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n2. Muhammad Hussein Ke Kahani\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n3. Darinday Ke Giraftaari Aur\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
![\"Ata](\"https:\/\/www.pakpedia.pk\/files\/Image\/Ata-ul-Haq-Qasmi-Biography.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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