| Birth Date: | 1959 4, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Death Place: | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Period: | 1991–2011 |
| Children: | 4 |
| Alma Mater: |
Jawayd Anwar (18 April 195925 November 2011) was a Pakistani poet and litterateur, considered a leading figure of modern-day Urdu poetry, specifically in the genre of (poems).
Jawayd Anwar was born on 18 April 1959 in the Islampura area of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1] The eldest member of a Bhatti Muhajir family that emigrated from eastern Punjab of British India, Anwar spent most of his childhood in Shahinabad, Sargodha. His father, Anwar Ali, belonged to Amritsar and worked professionally as an engineer whereas Jawayd's mother, Nasir Akhtar, was a native of Jalandhar.
Anwar attended Government Primary School in southern Sargodha and later enrolled at the Punjab Medical College in Faisalabad and also studied at the Oriental College in Lahore. After completing his MBBS, Anwar attained a doctor's degree and served at the Lahore General Hospital and later at the Allama Iqbal Medical College. Anwar was also a qualified psychiatrist.[2]
While on a short return to Pakistan, Anwar spent a few days at a mushaira with poets in Islamabad and died of a sudden heart attack in Lahore on 25 November 2011.[3] One of his last poems Agr Apnay Betay Ko Tum Nay Usama Kaha ("if you named your son Usama") became a topic of discussion for its style among intellectuals and was considered innovative in modern Urdu literature.[4] [5] Members of Lahore’s literary community expressed condolences at his demise and his funeral prayers were held at the EME Mosque. Days following his demise, Urdu literary critic Mansoor Afaq dedicated a short poem to Anwar titled Nazm Marr Gai Hai ("poems have died").[6]
During his time in Sargodha, Anwar had become associates with several poetic figures such as the likes of Khurshid Rizvi, Ghulam-us-Saqlain Naqvi and Wazir Agha. It was here from where Anwar became fond of Urdu poetry and actively began writing poems in his teenage. In 2007, The Herald deemed Anwar as one of the poets "with extensive " (poems).[7] At the age of 32, Anwar's first book Shahr Mayn Sham ("evening in the city") was published in 1991.[8] Literary critic Afsar Sajid described the book as a "concise but expressive flap".[9] Anwar's other works include Barzakh Kay Phul ("flowers of the barrier"), Bheriay Soay Nahin ("the wolves didn't sleep") and Ashkon Main Dhanak ("sinking in tears").[10] [11] [12] Anwar also co-authored the book Qahqaqa Insan Nay Ijad Kiya ("humans invented laughter") along with fellow writers Masood Qamar and Hussain Abid.