Announces national literary honours
The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) has announced the prestigious Kamal-e-Fun Award for 2024, naming renowned writer and poet Attaul Haq Qasmi in recognition of his lifetime contributions to literature.
The decision was made by a distinguished panel of writers and scholars headed by Kishwar Naheed, along with other prominent literary figures. The Kamal-e-Fun Award, considered the highest literary honour in Pakistan, carries a cash prize of Rs1 million and recognizes excellence in creative and research work over a lifetime. Instituted in 1997, the award has previously been conferred upon leading literary icons including Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Intizar Hussain, Mushtaq Ahmad Yousufi, Ahmad Faraz, Bano Qudsia and Fahmida Riaz, among others.
On the occasion, PAL Chairperson Dr. Najeeba Arif while extending felicitations to Qasmi for the prestigious award, announced the National Literary Awards for 2024 across multiple categories and languages, celebrating excellence in fiction, poetry, research, and translation.
Among the key awardees, Muhammad Hafeez Khan received the Saadat Hasan Manto Award for Urdu fiction for his book “Har Aik Janm Ki Janema,” while Muhammad Izhar-ul-Haq was honoured with the Mushtaq Ahmad Yousufi Award for Urdu non-fiction for “Samandar Jaziray aur Judaiyan.”
