Biography

Muhammad Farooq (Urdu:محمد فاروق) is a journalist, Qari, Naat Khawan and newscaster from Pakistan.^[3] He was the founder editor of first Pakistani evening newspaper,^{[citation needed]} Daily Evening Special from Quetta. He also worked as Joint Executive Editor Daily Mashriq Quetta. Nowadays he is working in Daily PakistanLahore as a News Editor.^[4] He also had worked for Pakistan Television Corporation(PTV) and Radio Pakistan.^[5][6] Muhammad Farooq has also participated in many national and some international Mahafil-e-Qiratand Mahafil-e-Naat.^[7] He has been awarded numerous national awards,^{[citation needed]} including the Pride of Performance Award (2000) from Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Pakistan Television also nominated him for PTV award.^[8][9]

Early life

Muhammad Farooq was born in Barapind, a village of tehsil Shakargarh, district Sialkot (Now) district Narowal,Punjab, Pakistan.^[10][11] After 2 months he moved to Karachi with his parents because they are already settled there. His father Karam ud Din was a Pakistani Navy officer who worked there for 32 years. Farooq spent his childhood in Karachi,. He has spent many years of his life in Karachi, (Sindh) Quetta (Baluchistan), Lahore and currently resides in Johar Town, Lahore, Punjab, (Pakistan).

Journalistic career

Muhammad Farooq started his career in journalism as a sub editor from the Daily Mashriq Lahore. He has also served as the Bureau Chief Lahore for Daily Mashriq Quetta. In 1997, Farooq moved to Quetta and was appointed as the chief news editor of the Daily Mashriq Quetta. On August 10, 2001, he launched first Pakistani evening newspaper Daily Evening Special from Quetta as founding editor.^[12]

In 2004, Muhammad Farooq became as the Joint Executive Editor of Daily Mashriq Quetta.^[13] He also served as editor in the Universal News Agency (UNA), in Quetta head office. During his journalistic career he also worked for Daily Din Lahore, Daily Akhbar-e-Lahore, Monthly Education Times Lahore, At present he is working as the news editor for Daily Pakistan Lahore, one of the leading newspapers of Pakistan.

He also covered the activities of ex-Presidents of Pakistan Wasim Sajjad (ex-Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan), Sardar Farooq Laghari, ex-Prime ministers of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Leader of Pakistan Muslim League N), Benazir Bhuto (ex-Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party), Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Ex Chief Ministers of Baluchistan Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali and others leaders. he has conducted several interviews of leading politicians including ex-Governor of Balochistan, sitting Governor of North-West Frontier Province Owais Ahmed Ghani, ex-Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Jam Mohammad Yousaf, President of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Mahmood Khan Achakzai, he also met with Sardar Abdul Quyyam Khan ex Prime Minister and President of Azad Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, Amir of JUI Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, ANP’s leaders Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan ex-Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, chairmain Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan and other national leaders.

He has also struggled for the freedom of the press and for the rights of working journalists.^[14] He was an active member of the Quetta Press Club and Baluchistan Union of Journalists,^[15] now also a council member of Lahore Press Club and Punjab Union of Journalists.

Newscasting

In 1997, Farooq joined Radio Pakistan (Quetta) as a newsreader. On September 26, 1997, Muhammad Farooq delivered first time this words “This is Radio Pakistan, now you listen news by Muhammad Farooq.”

In 2000, Muhammad Farooq has been awarded the Pride of Performance Award by Pakistani state radio in recognition of his work.^[16][17][18] Farooq also worked many years for Pakistan Television as a newscaster.

Analyst and compere

He has been an analyst and compeer of Pakistan Television. He appeared in many talk shows regarding political and social issues, specially current affairs programs including “News Morning Show” and “Qadam ba Qadam” from PTV Quetta centre

Writing

He started writing stories in his childhood, for Hamdard magazine Karachi under the editorship of Hakim Mohammed Said. As a script writer of Pakistan Television, Farooq wrote many scripts for different programs including currant affairs. He focuses the different problems of people of Balochistan in his scripts. Farooq has also written scripts about Khushhal Pakistan Program, Rural Devolvement and Cities of Baluchistan. He has written many articles, columns, and translations in different magazines and newspapers.

As a Qari

Muhammad Farooq did his early Nazra education from Karachi by Qari Kal-e-Khan, and he learned Tajweed and Hifz (11 Pare) by Qari Hilal Ahmad Dehlavi, Imamand Khateeb of Tooba Mosque (Masjid e Tooba) Defense Housing Society Karachi.^[19]

He studied the rules of recitation under Qari Hilal Ahmad Dehlavi.

Muhammad Farooq was introduced to Qur'an recitation by his Quran teacher Qari Hilal Ahmad Dehlavi, He staged Qur'an reciting competitions in his Madarsa to give his students experience. Farooq is the winner of Pakistani national Qur'an recitation contests. And also winner of many All Pakistan Inter Schools, Collegiate and Universities Qur'an reciting competitions.^[20]

He also participated in a conference of Quraan reciters in Quetta on 1998, which resulted in the establishment of a Reciters' Association, named as Jamiyat ul Qurraa Pakistan. Qari Khursheed Ahmad was selected its founder president. In Quran recitation Muhammad Farooq was Inspired by Egyptian Qari Shaikh Abdul Basit Abdus Samad, Qari Shaykh Sayed Abdul Aal Mutawlli, Qari Sheikh Abdur Rahman Al Sudais and Qari Hilal Ahmad Dehlavi.

Muhammad Farooq has recited in front of many internationally famous and respected figures including Egyptian Qari Shaikh Sayed Abdul Aal Mutawlli, Qari Shaikh Anwar Shahaat Mahmood Anwar, Qari Shaikh Mahmood Shahaat Anwar, Qari Hussain Shah and Qari Abdur Rasheed Al Azhari.^[21] Muhammad Farooq has also participated in many national and some international Mahafil-e-Qirat.^[22][23] He has also hosted many Mahafil-e-Qiraat in different cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Quetta, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, and Lahore.

Career in Naat Khawani

He started Naat Khuwani, when he was student of Pakistan Navy School SRE 1 Shafa Karachi and studying in class 4th. Farooq recited naats in various languages such as, Urdu, Punjabi language, Sindhi and Arabic. Farooq used to recite naats in his school, Milad and Naat Programs and was always appreciated by his teachers specially class teacher Miss Ronaq, Sir Javaid Iqbal (Sindhi Teacher) and Muhammad Ashraf Shaad for his melodious and expressive voice.When he was the student of Pakistan Navy School Shafa Karachi he won first time the first prize in an All Karachi Inter Schools Naat Khawani competition held at Pakistan Navy SchoolKarsaz Karachi. He was awarded with trophy by Professor Sayed Hasnain Kazmi, well known host of popular program of Pakistan Television named as “Tafhim-ul-Quran”.

In the 1980s, Farooq started his career on Pakistan Television Karachi centre as a child singer in a children’s musical program named as “Sang Sang Chalain” hosted by well known Pakistani musician Sohail Rana. But Farooq could not continue it because of his father and he believes that Islam does not allow to music. Farooq has also many times won the All Pakistan Naat recitation competition.^[24] After many years Muhammad Farooq restarted his career on Pakistan Television Quetta centre as a Naat Khawan, newscaster, script writer, analyst and compere. During this duration Farooq had got recorded many naats on his voice for PTV, Produced by senior poet and writer Sarwar Sodai. These Naats were written by Professor Sayed Sharafat Ali Naqvi, Saim ul Haq, Saleem Kausar and other renowned poets.

He got national fame when he recited his most popular naat “Mujh ko kis din hogi tayaba ke safar ki agahi”^[25] in Urdu (مجھ کو کس دن ہوگی طیبہ کے سفر کی آگہی),Telecast on Pakistan Television. He has also performed live on different Pakistani TV and Radio Channels. He also recorded Naats for Radio Pakistan and FM 101 radio from Quetta.^[26] These Naats were written by Professor Muhammad Zafar ul Haq Chishti, Professor Baiyraum Ghori, Hatim Majeed and other renowned poets. He also performed live these radio channels. In 2006, Pakistan Television nominated him as the best Naat Khawan for PTV award from PTV Quetta centre. Muhammad Farooq has also participated in many national and some international Mahafil-e-Naat.^[27] He appears regularly on Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan. He has also hosted many Mahafil-e-Naat in different cities of Pakistan.

Awards

Journalism

• Pride of Performance Award (2000) from Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) Best Urdu Newscaster Award (National).^[28][29][30]
• Fatima Jinnah Award (2003). Presented by The Government of Pakistan's Ex Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
• Special Award Presented by UNICEF & Balochistan Scouts Association.
• Award from National Civil Defence of Pakistan
• Best Journalist award (2004) Presented by Ex MPA Balochistan Miss Rahila Durani and Muhammad Shafiq Khan. (Awarded by Ghosiya Blood Donors Association)^[31]

Qur'an recitation

• First Position All Pakistan Quraan Recitation Competition (1990)
• Best Qari National Award (1992)
• Award from Daily Jang Lahore
• Wahdat-e-Pakistan Award
• Award from Daily Mashriq Lahore
• Award for Excellent Performance (2008), by Minhaj-ul-Quran International and Lahore Press Club. Presented by Nazim-e-Ala Minhaj-ul-Quran International Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi.^[32]

Naat Khawani

• First Position All Pakistan Naat Khawani Competition (1991)
• Best Naat Khawan National Award (1993)
• Wahdat-i-Pakistan Award (1993)
• PTV Award Best Naat Khawan (2006) Nomination

Works

There are many different Serials and Programs written by Muhammad Farooq for Pakistan Television.

Scripts

• Khushhal Pakistan Serials (2002)
• Pak Japan Friend Ship (2002)
• Rural Youth (2002)
• Karkardagi Serial (2003)
• Dastan-e-Azm Serial (2003)
• Umar Khan Achakzai (2003)
• Qadam Ba Qadam Serial (2004)
• Behtar Zindagi Behtar Mahole (2005)

Naat Khawani

Naats on PTV

• Na pucho kitne sooraj jagmagae khana-e-dil main ( نہ پوچھو کتنے سورج جگمگائے خانہءدل میں )
• Mujh ko kis din hogi tayaba ke safar ki aagahi ( مجھ کو کس دن ہوگی طیبہ کے سفر کی آگہی )
• Wohi zikr-e- share habib hai wohi rahguzar khiayl hai ( وہی ذکر شہر حبیب ہے وہی راہگذار خیال ہے )

Naats on Radio Pakistan

• Meri sari umar ka hasil jo bhi kuch hai jitna bhi kuch
• Main hoon benawa main shikasta dil mujhe arzoo-e-wisal hai
• Patte khushboo dhanak ( پتے خوشبودھنک )

Live performance

• Allah hu Allah hu Allah hu Allah