Sehba Akhtar

Sehba Akhtar (30 September 1931 – 19 February 1996) was a poet and a film songwriter in Pakistan.^[2][1]

Sehba Akhtar (pen name)
Born	Akhtar Ali Rehmat[1] 30 September 1931 (1931-09-30)[1] Jammu, British India
Died	19 February 1996 (1996-02-20) (aged 64)[1] Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Occupation(s)	poet, film songs lyricist
Awards	Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan (1996)

Early life and career

Akhtar was born Akhtar Ali Rehmat in the household of Rehmat Ali Rehmat, a poet and a contemporary of the renowned playwright Agha Hashar Kashmiri, in Jammu, British India.^[3][1] Sehba originally belonged to Amritsar, Punjab, India. He started writing verses in his school days. He finished his high school from Bareilly and later attended the Aligarh Muslim University. Later, before Pakistan's independence in 1947, he visited Karachi along with Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to attend a public gathering organized by Karachi students. Soon after the independence of Pakistan in 1947, he shifted to Pakistan and also started writing poems and songs for Pakistani movies and the Pakistani public.^[1]

Popular poems

Akhtar wrote many famous poems and songs for the Pakistani people and also became involved in writing film songs for some Pakistani films.^[1]

• "Mein Bhi Pakistan Hoon Tu Bhi Pakistan Hai" Sung by Muhammad Ali Shehki, music by Sohail Rana, a Pakistan Television Corporation production^[3]
• "Tanha Thee Aur Hamaishah Say Tanha Hay Zindagi" sung by Mehdi Hassan
• "Chand Ki Seij Pe Taaron Se Saja Ke Sehra" Sung by Runa Laila, music by Deebo Bhattacharya for film Jhuk Gaya Aasman (1970)
• "Mujhe Bhulaane Walay Tujhe Bhi Chaen Na Aaey" Sung by Habib Wali Mohammed (a non-film ghazal song)^[4]
• "Wahain Zindagi Kay Hasee'n Khawb Tootay" Sung by Jamal Akbar, Music by Kareem Shahab Uddin.
• "Tera Mera Sathi Hay Lehrata Samandar" Film Samander, sung by Ahmed Rushdi
• "Ae watan maan ki tarah", sung by Mohammad Ifrahim

Death and legacy

In late 1995, he became very ill in London, but insisted on returning to Pakistan to launch his poetry book, Mashal.^[5] He later died on 19 February 1996.^[1][3]

In Karachi, Pakistan, there is a 'Sehba Akhtar Road' named after him and a library in Nazimabad No.4, Karachi also carries his name.^[6][7]

Awards

Akhtar received the Pride of Performance award from the President of Pakistan in 1996.^[3][1][5]