Ali Raza Ahmed: A Journey Through Literature, Humour, Poetry and Professional Life
An Exclusive Literary Interview for Waqar-e-Pakistan
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Writer | Columnist | Poet | Cartoonist | Satirist & Humorist
Introduction
Ali Raza Ahmed is a literary personality whose life brings together professional service, creative expression, humour, cartooning, poetry, and a deep connection with culture and literature. A writer, columnist, poet, cartoonist, satirist, and humorist, he has pursued his creative interests alongside a long professional career with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. He has also contributed a column to Daily Pakistan under the title “Muwazna.”
His creative contributions extend to cartoons published in both English and Urdu publications. In addition to his work in visual satire and humour, he has explored English poetry, experimenting with rhyme, rhythm, personal experiences, friendship, longing, and the lighter side of everyday life.
Born in Sahiwal, he grew up in an environment enriched by religious traditions, artistic interests, music, and literature. His childhood experiences, family background, early encounters with books, and professional journey through cities such as Multan, Gwadar, and Lahore have contributed to his understanding of people and society.
In this conversation with Waqar-e-Pakistan, Ali Raza Ahmed reflects on his early life, literary beginnings, family influences, cartooning, English poetry, interest in humour, and experiences that shaped his personality.
Interview
Let us begin with your early life. When and where were you born, and what memories do you associate with your birth?
Ali Raza Ahmed: I was born in Sahiwal on 1 December, a Sunday, at 2:10 p.m. Interestingly, my father, Ali Ahmad Sabri, shared the same date and day of birth. My family preserved some personal reminders of that occasion, including my birth record and the shirt I wore as a baby. These objects have become meaningful links to my family history.
Tell us about your family background and the traditions that shaped your upbringing.
Ali Raza Ahmed: My family had a strong religious and spiritual background. My grandfather was connected with the Chishti-Sabri spiritual tradition. Our family’s annual Urs was an important occasion, featuring Quran recitation, Naat, the recitation of the spiritual lineage, langar, and Sama. These traditions helped preserve our connection with spirituality, community, and cultural heritage.
What do you know about your family’s ancestral journey?
Ali Raza Ahmed: According to our family history, our ancestors migrated from Arabia to Kotri in Sindh and later moved to Jalandhar. My great-grandfather, Ghulam Qadir Ahmad, worked as a surveyor in the irrigation department. In 1885, during the planning associated with the Lower Bari Doab Canal, he was transferred to Montgomery, then known as Sahiwal. The family eventually established its roots there.
This history gives me a sense of continuity with earlier generations and the journeys that shaped our family’s identity.
Did your father influence your interest in literature and the arts?
Ali Raza Ahmed: My father, Ali Ahmad Sabri, had a strong interest in art and literature. He displayed framed poetry and paintings and kept musical instruments at home. He also enjoyed listening to the radio. Growing up in such an environment exposed me to creative expression from an early age.
Looking back, I can see how these surroundings helped nurture my curiosity about words, music, images, and ideas.
What was your experience of early education?
Ali Raza Ahmed: My early education began at home, where my mentor, Rana Javed Ahsan, helped teach me. My first day at school was rather frightening. The unfamiliar environment overwhelmed me, and I ran back home.
That childhood memory remains vivid. Like many children, I needed time to become comfortable with formal schooling.
What interested you most during childhood? Were you always inclined towards books and writing?
Ali Raza Ahmed: My childhood interests were varied. I enjoyed humour, radio songs, and music. I was particularly interested in ragas such as Malkauns, Pahari, and Bhupali.
I was not always a serious student. I spent considerable time flying kites, playing sports, and enjoying other activities. I passed my matriculation examination with relatively low marks. At that stage, my interests were broader than my commitment to academic study.
However, my curiosity gradually began to develop in new directions.
Was there an experience that changed your attitude towards learning?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Watching a magician and seeing the television programme Trick and Treat encouraged me to think differently about learning and knowledge. These experiences stimulated my curiosity and made me more interested in understanding how things worked.
Sometimes, inspiration comes from unexpected places. An experience that appears to be simple entertainment can encourage a person to ask questions, explore ideas, and become more attentive to the world.
Which books made an early impression on you?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Two books that I remember from my early reading, when I was in class six, were Mujh Par Kya Guzri and Muhammad Ali by Qayyum I’tisami, a book about the boxer Muhammad Ali.
These early encounters with books became part of my growing relationship with reading. They exposed me to different subjects and experiences beyond my immediate surroundings.
When did you first see your creative work published?
Ali Raza Ahmed: One of my early milestones was the publication of a cartoon in Daily Paigham, Faisalabad. It was my first print publication and an encouraging experience.
Seeing my work appear in a newspaper gave me a connection with the world of print and public expression. It was an important moment in my creative journey.
You are a writer, columnist, poet, cartoonist, satirist, and humorist. How do you see these different forms of expression?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Writing, poetry, cartooning, and humour offer different ways of expressing thoughts and observing life. A writer can explore experiences through prose, a poet can convey emotions and ideas through verse, and a columnist can engage with issues and developments in society.
Cartooning provides another distinctive form of communication. A single illustration can convey an idea, expose a contradiction, or communicate a social observation in a way that words alone sometimes cannot. My cartoons have appeared in both English and Urdu publications, allowing me to explore visual expression across linguistic boundaries.
Satire and humour bring these creative forms together. They allow us to observe contradictions, question behaviour, and present familiar situations from a different perspective.
The experiences of everyday life provide material for reflection. The way people think, speak, behave, and respond to circumstances can reveal much about society.
Your literary work includes several books and collections. Could you tell us about your publications and forthcoming titles?
Ali Raza Ahmed: My publications include Airay Ghairay, Mazah Rah, Mazah Mein, and Dhajiyan. Some of my other titles are under publication, including Dam Kham, Taiba Ki Gali, and Gird-e-Mazah. Khushk Aankhen is a poetry collection. These titles reflect different aspects of my literary interests, including humour and poetry. I continue to work across these forms of expression, and I hope the books will reach readers who appreciate Urdu literature and humour.
You have also explored English poetry. What attracts you to writing poems in English?
Ali Raza Ahmed: English poetry offers another avenue for creative expression. It allows me to explore personal feelings, relationships, humour, and everyday experiences through rhyme and rhythm.
My poems reflect different aspects of life. Ninety Eight takes a humorous look at weight, eating habits, and the challenges of dieting. Waiting My Caring Buddy expresses affection, friendship, loneliness, and the hope of reunion. The Sight in Night explores the fragrance of a rose, romantic imagery, and the comfort that memories can bring.
These poems represent my endeavours in English verse. I continue to explore poetry as a means of expressing observations and emotions in a different language and form. More of my poems are available on relevant social media pages.
Your professional career has taken you to different places. How did your work influence your outlook on life?
Ali Raza Ahmed: My professional career has been associated with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, particularly in finance and accounts. My experience includes service at Walton Airport and work at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, where I have served in senior finance and accounts roles.
I spent approximately eight and a half years in Multan before being transferred to Gwadar in 1996.
Professional responsibilities require discipline, accuracy, patience, and a practical understanding of people and institutions. These experiences exist alongside my literary interests and have given me opportunities to observe different environments and ways of life.
What do you remember about Gwadar when you arrived there in 1996?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Gwadar was very different from the city people know today. Much of the settlement consisted of basic or mud-built structures, and many modern facilities were limited. Electricity was available for only around six to seven hours a day, flights were limited, and the Makran Coastal Highway had not yet been developed.
There were also early proposals for housing and commercial development around areas such as Singhar. Documentation and the status of some plots could be uncertain.
Living and working in Gwadar at that time offered a close view of a place before many of its later changes. Such experiences stay with a person because they reveal how dramatically a city can transform over time.
How did your experiences in Multan, Gwadar, and Lahore contribute to your understanding of society?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Living and working in different places exposes a person to different circumstances, cultures, and attitudes. Each place has its own character, challenges, and social environment.
My years in Multan, my experience of Gwadar during its earlier period of development, and my professional life in Lahore have given me different perspectives. These experiences also provide opportunities to observe people and understand the changes taking place around them.
For anyone interested in literature, such observations can be valuable. Everyday life is full of stories, contrasts, and human experiences worthy of reflection.
What role do satire, humour, and cartooning play in society?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Humour is more than an attempt to make people laugh. It can help us recognise contradictions in everyday life and see familiar situations from a fresh perspective.
Satire can encourage people to think critically about behaviour, attitudes, and social practices. Cartooning adds a visual dimension to this process, using images, expressions, and situations to communicate an idea quickly and effectively.
A well-conceived cartoon can make a person laugh while also encouraging serious thought. Similarly, humour in writing can communicate a meaningful idea without making the discussion unnecessarily harsh.
The important thing is to understand the purpose of the work and the point being made. Effective humour is not simply about laughter; it can also create awareness and reflection.
What advice would you offer to young people who want to become writers, poets, cartoonists, columnists, or humourists?
Ali Raza Ahmed: Young people should cultivate the habit of reading, observe the world around them, and remain curious about life. Writing and other creative skills develop through practice, patience, and a willingness to learn.
Those interested in cartooning should also develop their powers of observation and learn how visual details can communicate complex ideas. Aspiring poets should read widely, experiment with language, and keep refining their expression.
They should not be discouraged by early difficulties. Every experience, including failure and disappointment, can offer something worth understanding. My own early academic life was not marked by exceptional achievement, but my interests and experiences continued to develop over time.
Young creatives should also learn to distinguish between superficial humour and meaningful satire. Good creative work requires thought, sensitivity, and an understanding of the people and situations being described.
Finally, what would you like readers to understand about your journey?
Ali Raza Ahmed: A person’s life cannot be understood through one role alone. Professional responsibilities, family traditions, personal interests, and creative pursuits can all become parts of the same journey.
My experiences have included family influences, childhood interests, reading, cartooning, poetry, creative work, and a professional career across different places. Each has contributed something to my outlook.
I believe that remaining curious about life is important. There is always something to learn from people, places, memories, and changing circumstances.
Selected English Poetry by Ali Raza Ahmed
The following poems offer a glimpse into Ali Raza Ahmed’s English poetry endeavours, ranging from light-hearted observations on daily life to reflections on friendship, longing, and romantic imagery.
Ninety Eight
No One Can Change Date,
I Got It So Late,
I With My Side Pose Hate,
I Am Getting Weight,
More Than Ninety-Eight,
When I Look My Pait,
It Keeps Disturbing My Gait,
So Much Why I Ate,
Diet Plans Come Too Late,
Yet, I Smile My Fate,
Now I Must Pay The Rate,
Doctor Says “Wait… Wait…”
Waiting My Caring Buddy
Waiting My Caring Buddy Who Is Away From Eyes,
The Silent eve Enfolds The World In Sorrow’s Dark Disguise.
My Lonely Heart Counts Falling Tears Instead Of Moments Wise,
No Tea Nor Coffee Warms My Soul, Their Sweetness Fades And Dies.
No Yummy Feast Can Charm My Lips While Hope In Silence Sighs,
Waiting My Caring Buddy Who Is Away From Eyes,
I Seek Your Smile In Every Cloud That Drifts Across The Skies.
The Moon Inquires Why My Soul Still Keeps Affection’s Ties,
The Stars Look Down With Tender Light As Witness To My Cries.
Each Restless Night Grows Deep Enough To Let Old Shadows Rise,
Yet Faith Still Whispers Softly That True Friendship Never Lies.
Until You Come, I’ll Guard Your Place Beneath The Endless Skies.
Waiting My Caring Buddy Who Is Away From Eyes.
The Sight In Night
I Send Her Rose At Noon Today,
I Breathe Its Sweet Perfume At Night;
Its Smell Can Make The Flowers Bloom,
And Turn My Lonely Dark To Light.
The Moon Shines Brightly In The Sky,
The Stars Now Gleam Above The Trees;
The Soft Wind Whispers Through The Trees,
While Petals Dance Upon The Breeze.
I Walk The Garden, Calm And Slow,
And Feel The Rose’s Charm Still Glow;
Though Dark Nights Sometimes Make Me Weep,
Her Gentle Scent Protects My Sleep.
I Ask The Dawn To Grant Me Peace,
And Let My Troubled Heart Find Ease;
I Ask The Rose To Bring Release,
And Sweep My Worries With The Breeze.
More poems are available on relevant social media pages.
Closing Note
Ali Raza Ahmed’s journey illustrates the many influences that can shape a literary personality. His family’s spiritual and artistic traditions, early interest in humour and music, first experience of publication, work as a cartoonist for English and Urdu publications, endeavours in English poetry, and professional journey through Multan, Gwadar, and Lahore form the background to his creative life.
As a writer, columnist, poet, cartoonist, satirist, and humorist, his story offers a reminder that literary sensibility can grow through a wide range of experiences. A life spent observing people, working within institutions, encountering different communities, drawing cartoons, experimenting with poetry, and reflecting on the past can provide a rich foundation for creative expression.
His English poems also reveal the lighter and more personal dimensions of his creative interests, bringing together humour, friendship, longing, and everyday observations.
Waqar-e-Pakistan continues its commitment to documenting literary journeys, preserving personal histories, and bringing the experiences and perspectives of writers and creative personalities to readers and researchers.
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