Renowned novelist, columnist and story writer Intizar Hussain has passed away, Waqt News reported. He was ill and admitted in a private hospital for last few days. He died because of cardiac failure today.

Intizar Hussain was born on December 7, 1923 in Dibdai, Bulandshahr, India and came to Pakistan in 1947. He got his Master’s degree in Urdu, although it is believed that his first priority was to get a degree in English Literature. He started a columnist in different papers and went on to be a novelist.

He received numerous awards from governments of Pakistan, India and UAE. Along with that he was nominated for the Man Booker International Prize in 2013.

The Seventh Door and Leaves are among his books translated into English. He has translated works from English to Urdu. His writings include "Basti", "Hindustan Se Aakhri Khat", "Agay Samander hai", "Shehr-e-Afsos", "Jataka Tales", "Janam Kahanian" and "Wo Jo Kho Gaye".

He received the Lifetime Achievement award at the Lahore Literary Festival in 2012. On 20 September 2014 Hussain was awarded French civil award Ordre des Arts et des Letters.