Afzal Tauseef

Afzal Tauseef is a Pakistani Punjabi language writer, columnist and journalist. She authored more than 30 books in both Punjabi and Urdu throughout her life.

Early life and education

Afzal Tauseef was born on 18 May 1936 in Simbli village of Hoshiarpur, East Punjab, which was part of British India. She was the eldest child in her family and had 2 younger brothers. After the country became a sovereign state, she migrated to Pakistan in 1947 with her father. Because her father worked as a police officer, the family initially stayed in Balochistan.

She completed her initial schooling and matriculation at a government girls school in Quetta. Although she later moved to Punjab to attend Oriental College, she left that institution midway through her studies. She eventually attended Government College University, Lahore, where she earned a master's degree in English.

Career

Tauseef worked as a teacher at the University of Home Economics after she finished her higher education. She later taught English at the College of Education until she reached retirement. Her literary work focused on progressive writing and covered themes such as politics, social issues, art and languages.

She published more than 30 books, including titles like Punjab Ke'da Naa Punjab and Panjjeevãn Ghanta. Some of her writings were later transliterated into Gurmukhi for publication in India. Because she wrote about the Baloch cause and the fall of Bangladesh, she faced military trials and detentions. She also wrote Dekhi Teri Duniya and My Beloved Trees, My Children, which addressed the partition.

Tauseef was associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party during her career. She also served as the vice president of the Punjabi Adabi Board for 5 years.

Personal life

She died in Lahore on 30 December 2014, one day after she was admitted to Alshafi Hospital. Her funeral took place in Iqbal Town at the Karim block cemetery. Members of the Punjabi Adabi Board and representatives from the Pakistan Academy of Letters attended the service. These attendees included journalists and writers such as Kanwal Feroze, Parveen Malik and Baba Najmi.

The Indian progressive writer Amrita Pritam called her "Suchi Dhee Punjab Di," which means True daughter of the Punjab. Pritam also compiled a book about her in Hindi titled Doosre Aadam Ki Beti.

Awards and recognition

Tauseef received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asian Writers Association, which is a Denmark-based nonprofit organization. She was also awarded the Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan in 2010. Although military dictators like General Zia Ul-Haq offered her this award several times along with a tract of farmland, she refused the honors until 2010.