Mustansar Hussain Tarar ( ur, ; )

S.I. The International System of Units, known by the international abbreviation SI in all languages and sometimes pleonastically as the SI system, is the modern form of the metric system and the world's most widely used system of measurement. E ...

(born 1 March 1939) is a Pakistani

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

, travel enthusiast, mountaineer, writer, novelist, columnist,

TV host A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garner ...

and former actor.

Early life

Mustansar Hussain Tarar was born in Jokalian on 1 March 1939 at his maternal grandparents' house, according to the preface of his book, ''Lahore Awargi''. But he was raised in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...

with his family that hailed from

Mandi Bahauddin Mandi Bahauddin (Urdu and pa, ) is a city in northern Punjab, Pakistan. It is also the capital of Mandi Bahauddin District. It is the 41st largest city of Pakistan by population according to the 2017 census. It has exellent agricultural land ...

. His father, Rehmat Tarar, operated a small agricultural seed store by the name of "Kisan & company" that later flourished to become a major business in that field.Profile of Mustansar Hussain Tarar on urduadab4u.com website
Published 31 August 2010, Retrieved 26 April 2019 Tarar was educated at Rang Mahal Mission High School and Muslim Model High School, both in

, Pakistan.Profile of Mustansar Hussain Tarar on urduwire.com website
Retrieved 26 April 2019 He pursued higher studies at

Government College, Lahore The Government College University, Lahore (colloquially known as GCU), is a public research university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Opened as Government College, Lahore, in 1864, it became a university in 2002. Overview In 1864, Go ...

and in London. While abroad he spent much of his time watching movies, hanging out with friends and reading books. In 1958, he attended the World Youth Festival in Moscow and wrote a book named ''Fakhta'' (Dove) based on his experience.Flashback: Diary of a vagabond (Mustansar Hussain Tarar)
Dawn (newspaper), Published 2 December 2012, Retrieved 26 April 2019

Career

He has written more than 50 books including novels and a collection of short stories in his career.A decent man can't be a good writer - Mustansar Tarar
Dawn (newspaper), Published 19 February 2009, Retrieved 26 April 2019 His first book was a travelogue of Europe published in 1971 by the title of ''Nikley Teri Talaash Main (1970)'', dedicated to his youngest brother, Mobashir Hussain Tarar. This followed a period during which he travelled in seventeen European countries, and spearheaded a new trend of travelogues in Urdu literature. So far he has over forty travelogues ('Safar Nama' in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Pakistan Television Corporation Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore. Background Historical co ...

's (PTV) live morning show ''Subah Bakhair (1988)'' (Good Morning). His unconventional and down-to-earth style of hosting earned him great popularity among people from all circles of life. He is one of the most recognised personality among children as he spent a big part of transmission time addressing children exclusively. He called himself ''chacha jee'' (paternal uncle) of all Pakistani children and soon became known by this title. Mustansar Hussain Tarar - Autograph

Tarar has been an active mountaineer for many years and has been to the base camp of the famous mountain K2 and the ''Chitti Buoi Glacier''.

Columns as a journalist and books

During his long career, he has been a newspaper columnist and a contributor in Pakistani newspapers including

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...

and Daily Aaj, and used to write a weekly column for '' Akhbar-e-Jahan''. His books include: * Mantiqul Tair, Jadeed (منطق الطیر، جدید) (Conference of Birds, Modern) (, Publisher: SMP, Language: Urdu, Novel Year: 2018) * Andulus Mayn Ajnabi (اندلس میں اجنبی) (Stranger in Spain) (ISBN No:9693515471, Publisher:SMP, Language:URDU, SAFAR NAMA Year: 2009) First published in 1972 * Bahhao (بہاؤ) (Flow) * Bay Izti Kharab (بے عزتی خراب) (Insulting dishonor) – This phrase is deliberately wrong and commonly used this way in local communities, thus the book name * Berfeeli Bulandiyan (برفیلی بلندیاں) (Snowy Heights) * Carvan Sarai (کارواں سرایےؑ) (Caravan Motel) * Chikh Chuk (چک چک) (Remove the curtain) * Chitral Daastan (چترال داستان) (Tale of Chitral) * Dais Huwaa Perdais (دیس ہوے پردیس) (Homeland becomes foreign land) * Deosai (دیوسائی)- First published in 2003 * Dakia aur Jolaha (ڈاکیا اور جولاھا) (Postman and cloth-maker) * Gadhay Hamaray Bhai Hain (گدھے ہمارے بھایی ھیں) (Donkeys are our brothers) * Ghar-e-Hira Mein Ek Raat (غار حراء میں ایک رات) (a night in the cave 'Hira' near

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...

) * Guzara Naheen Hota (گزارا نہیں ہوتا) (Hard to get by) * Gypsy (جپسی) * Hazaron Hain Shikway (ہزاروں ھیں شکوے) (Have thousands of complaints) * Hazaron Raastay (ہزاروں راستے) (Thousands of paths) * Hunza Dastaan (ہنزہ داستان) (Tale of

Hunza Hunza may refer to: * Hunza, Iran * Hunza Valley, an area in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan ** Hunza (princely state), a former principality ** Hunza District, a recently established district ** Hunza River, a waterway ** Hunza Peak, a mou ...

) * K-2 Ki Kahani (کے ٹو کہانی) ( K2 Story)- First published in 1993 * Kaalaash (کالاش) (Kafiristan) * Khana Badosh (خانہ بدوش) (Gypsi)- First published in 1983 * Moorat (مورت) (Idol) * Moscow Ki Sufaid Raatein.(ماسکو کی سفید راتیں) ( White nights of Moscow) * Munh Wal Kabbey Shariff Dey (منہ ول کعبے شریف دے) (Face towards

Qibla The qibla ( ar, قِبْلَة, links=no, lit=direction, translit=qiblah) is the direction towards the Kaaba in the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which is used by Muslims in various religious contexts, particularly the direction of prayer for the ...

) xperience of performing HAJJ First published in 2006 * Nanga Parbat (نانگاپربت) (book named after the mountain of the same name) * Nepal Nagri (نیپال نگری) (Land of Nepal)- First published in 1999 * Niklay Teri Talash Main (نکلے تیری تلاش میں) (Out in your search)- First published in 1970 * Pakhairoo (پکھیرو) (Birds)- A book in the

Punjabi language Punjabi (; ; , ), sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan language of the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It has approximately 113 million native speakers. Punjabi is the most widely-spoken first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 ...

* Parinday (پرندے) (Birds) * Parwaz (پرواز) (Flight) * Payar Ka Pehla Shehr (پیار کا پہلا شہر) (Love's first city)- First published in 1974 * Putli Peking Ki (پتلی پیکنگ کی) (Monument from Peking)- First published in 2009 * Qilaa Jangi (قلعہ جنگی) (Fortified war) * Qurbat-e-Marg Main Mohabbat (قربت مرگ میں محبت) (Love, when you are near death) * Raakh (راکھ) (Ash) * Ratti Gali- First published in 2005 * Safar Shumal Kay (سفر شمال کے) (Journeys of the north)- First published in 1991 * Shamshaal Baimesaal (شمشال بیمثال) (Extraordinary Shamshaal) First published in 2000 * Shehpar (شہپر) (Wings) * Shuter Murgh Riasat (شتر مرغ ریاست) (Ostrich State) * Snow Lake (سنو لیک) First published in 2000 * Sunehri Ullo Ka Shaher (سنہری الو کا شھر) (The city of golden owl) * Yaak Saraey (یاک سرائے) (Yaak Inn)- First published in 1997 * Khas-o-Khashak Zamane (خس و خاشاک زمانے) (Novel) * Alaska Highway – ( Publisher: SMP Language: URDU Subject: TRAVELOGUE Year: 2011) * Australia Awargi (آسٹریلیا آوارگی) (Travelogue, 2015) * 15-Kahaniyan (15 کہانیاں) (Short Stories, 2015) * Rakaposhi Nagar (راکاپوشی نگر) (Travelogue, 2015) * America Key Sou Rang (امریکا کے سو رنگ) (Travelogue of America, 2015) * Aur Sindh Behta Raha (اور سندھ بہتا رہا) (Travelogue of Sindh, 2016) *Haramosh Naqabil e Faramosh (Travelogue of Haramosh peak, 2017) *Karvaan Siraye (کاروان سرائے) (2001 ) *Ullu Hamare Bhai Hain (الو ھمارے بھا ئئ ھین) * Lahore Awargi * Pyar ka Pehla Punjab * Siyah Aankh Mein Tasveer * Tarar Nama

Drama

He is also the author of many famous drama series for

Pakistan Television Corporation Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore. Background Historical co ...

or PTV. * Hazaron Raastey (Thousands of Paths) * Parinda (Bird) * Shehpar (Wings) * Sooraj Ke Sath Sath (staying along with the Sun) * Keilash (Name of a tribe in northern areas of Pakistan) * Fareb (illusion)

Travelogue writer

As a mountaineer and a travelogue writer himself, Tarar has long promoted the cause of tourism projects in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

Awards and recognition

Sitara-i-Imtiaz The Sitara-e-Imtiaz () also spelled as Sitara-i-Imtiaz, is the third-highest (in the order of "Imtiaz") honour and civilian award in the State of Pakistan. It recognizes individuals who have made an "especially meritorious contribution to the ...

(Star of Excellence) - Awarded in Literature by the President of Pakistan in 2017Mustansar Hussain Tarar award info on Associated Press of Pakistan website
Published 23 March 2017, Retrieved 26 April 2019 *

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...

Award - Awarded in Literature in 1992 *Anjuman Farogh-i-Urdu (Qatar) Award * Pakistan Academy of Letters PAL nominated him in 2022 for Kamal-e-Fun Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) shared with Ashu Lal Faqeer but he refused to take half award.

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarar, Mustansar Hussain 1939 births Living people Government College University, Lahore alumni Pakistan Television Corporation executives Pakistani dramatists and playwrights Pakistani male television actors Pakistani novelists Pakistani television hosts Pakistani travel writers People from Lahore Punjabi people Recipients of the Pride of Performance Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz Dawn (newspaper) people Urdu-language travel writers Urdu-language novelists