Iftikhar Arif

Iftikhar Hussain Arif (Urdu : ) commonly known as Iftikhar Arif ( ) (b. March 21, 1943 Lucknow ) is an Urdu poet, scholar and littérateur from Pakistan. His style is romantic Urdu poetry. He has headed Academy Adbiyat (the Pakistan Academy of Letters ) and Muqtadra Quami Zaban (the National Language Authority ). He has been decorated with Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Presidential Pride of Performance, which are the highest literary awards given by the Government of Pakistan.