Abu Al-Asar Hafeez Jalandhari PP HI (Urdu: ابو الاثر حفیظ جالندھری; 14 January 1900 – 21 December 1982) was a Pakistani poet who wrote the lyrics for the National Anthem of Pakistan and the Anthem of Azad Kashmir. He wrote in Urdu and Persian languages and is widely celebrated throughout Pakistan.
Early life
Chaudhary Abu Alasr Hafeez Jalandhari was born in Jalandhar, Punjab, British India on 14 January 1900 into a Punjabi Muslim family. His father, Shams-ud-Din, was a Hafiz-e-Qur’an. Jalandhari initially studied in a mosque school and later joined a local school. He only received formal education until the seventh grade.He had a natural liking for poetry. He became the disciple of Maulana Qadir Gharami.
After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Jalandhari migrated to Lahore in the new state of Pakistan.
Literary career
From 1922 to 1929, Jalandhari remained the editor of a few monthly magazines namely, Nonehal, Hazar Dastaan, Teehzeeb-e-Niswan, and Makhzin. His first collection of poems Nagma-e-Zar was published in 1935. After World War II, he worked as the director of the Song Publicity Department. During this same time he wrote several songs.
Jalandhari participated in the Pakistan Movement and used his writings to inspire people for the cause of Pakistan. In early 1948, he joined the forces for the freedom of Kashmir and got wounded. Jalandhari wrote the Kashmiri Anthem, “Watan Hamara Azad Kashmir”. He 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.
