Mazhar Kaleem

Mazhar Kaleem was a Pakistani novelist chiefly known for his Imran Series novels, Urdu spy fiction written within Imran Series mythos created by Ibn-e-Safi. He was born as Mazhar Nawaz Khan on 22 July 1942 in Kiri Afghanan, a village near Multan, Pakistan. He migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India and worked as a proofreader for Daily Imroze of Karachi. He was a progressive writer and soon started to grab the audience with his enthusiastic recitation of poetry. He wrote in plain language, adopted a simple style and addressed common people and issues. He was a member of the Progressive Writers' Movement and a follower of Marxism. He opposed military coups and administrators and was duly jailed several times. He wrote poems that inspired the masses and challenged the dictatorship. He also wrote songs for films and television dramas. He died on 26 May 2018 in Multan due to a lung infection. He was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the nation's second highest civilian award, in 2009. He is regarded as the poet of the masses and a national hero.