Munir Niazi
Munir Ahmed Niazi, was an Urdu and Punjabi language poet from Pakistan. He also wrote for newspapers, magazines and radio. In 1960, he established a publication institute, Al-Misal. He was later associated with Pakistan Television, Lahore and lived in Lahore till his death.
Early life and career
Munir Ahmed Niazi was born on 9 April 1928, in Khanpur, one of the Pathan villages in Hoshiarpur Punjab, British India. He was initially educated at Khanpur. After the partition of India in 1947, he migrated and settled in Sahiwal, where he passed his matriculation examination. He earned an intermediate degree from Sadiq Egerton College, Bahawalpur and a B.A. degree from Dayal Singh College, Lahore, Pakistan. Munir Niazi launched a weekly, Seven Colours, from Sahiwal in 1949. Some of his poetry was used in films and these film songs became popular super-hit songs among the Pakistani public which established him as one of the foremost movie songwriters of Pakistan in the 1960s. For example, the film song in film Shaheed, Uss Bewafa Ka Shehar Hai Aur Hum Hain Dosto and many others.Originally of Pashtun descent, Munir Ahmed used to call himself Punjabi as Punjabi definition is cultural and geographical and most of his poetic expression was done in the Punjabi language.
Poetry that became super-hit film songs
| Film song | Singers | Song lyrics by | Music by | Film and year |
| "Jis Ne Mere Dil Ko Dard Diya" | Mehdi Hassan | Munir Niazi | Hasan Latif Lilak | Susral |
| "Jaa Apni Hasraton Pe Aansoo Baha Ke Sau Jaa" | Noor Jehan | Munir Niazi | Hasan Latif Lilak | Susral |
| "Uss Bewafa Ka Shehar Hai Aur Hum Hain Dosto" | Naseem Begum | Munir Niazi | Rashid Attre | Shaheed |
| "Kaisay Kaisay Loag Hamare Jee Ko Jalanay Aa Jaatain Hain" | Mehdi Hassan | Munir Niazi | Hasan Latif Lilak | Tere Shehar Mein |
| "Zinda Rahein Tau Kaya Hai Jau Mar Jaaen Hum Tau Kaya" | Naheed Akhtar | Munir Niazi | M Ashraf | Kharidar |
Death and legacy
Munir Niazi died of respiratory illness on 26 December 2006 in Lahore, Pakistan.On his 86th birth anniversary, a book titled 'Munir Niazi Ki Baatain, Yadain' was launched to honor him at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture at Lahore. This book has interviews of the late Munir Niazi and opinion columns about him.
Awards and recognition
Award by the President of Pakistan in 1992Sitara-e-Imtiaz Award by the President of Pakistan in 2005