Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi is a renowned Pakistani poet, journalist, writer and veteran literary scholar. He was born as Ahmad Shah Awan on November 20, 1916 in the village Anga of Khushab District.
He wrote about 50 books on poetry, journalism, fiction and art and was an editor and publisher of a literary magazine 'Funoon' and newspaper editor for 'Imroze' as well. He also wrote for national newspapers like 'Rawan Dawan' and 'Daily Jang' as a columnist.
He wrote both, ghazals and nazms. He published collections of his best-known work including poetry volumes Jalal-o-Jamal, Shola-i-Gul and Kisht-i-Wafa, and short story collections Chopaal,Sannata, and Kapaas ka Phool, Bagolay, Tal-o-Gharoob, Sailab-o-Gardab, Anchal, ghar se ghartak. Humanism was a distinguishing characteristic of his poetry.
He actively participated in the Progressive Writers Movement as a secretary and was arrested at many occasions in the 1950s and 1970s.
He was awarded Pride of Performance in 1968, Pakistan Academy of Letters’ lifetime achievement award and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1980 for his contribution in literary work.
He passed away on 10 July 2006 in Lahore due to asthma complications at Punjab Institute of Cardiology.