Hafeez Jalandhari remembered on his 119th birth anniversary

ISLAMABAD: Creator of Pakistan’s national anthem Hafeez Jalandhari was remembered on his 119th birth anniversary across the country with great vigour on January 14.

Hafeez Jalandhari was a Pakistani Urdu-language poet who wrote the lyrics for the National Anthem of Pakistan.

He actively participated in Pakistan Movement and used his writings to inspire people for the cause of Pakistan.

He also wrote the Kashmiri Anthem, ‘Watan Hamara Azad Kashmir’.

In his time, Hafeez wrote many patriotic songs during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Jalandhari served as Director General of morals in Pakistan Armed Forces, and then in a very prominent position as an adviser to the President, Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan and also a Director of Writers Guild of Pakistan.

His work of poetry, Shahnam-e-Islam, gave him incredible fame which, in the manner of Firdowsi’s Shahnameh, is a record of the glorious history of Islam in verse.

Hafeez Jalandhri passed away on December 21, 1982 at the age of 82 years. He was buried in Model Town, Lahore but later on, his body was re-buried in the tomb near Minar-e-Pakistan.