Ashraf Shad

Ashraf Shad is a distinguished senior journalist, writer, and poet who has resided in Australia for the past four decades. Over the course of his prolific career, he has authored eighteen books. Renowned for his contributions to political fiction, Shad’s notable novels include ‘Wazeere Azam,’ ‘Sadre Mohtaram,’ and ‘Judge Saheb.’ Actively engaged in the journalists’ movement of the 1970s, he endured imprisonment in Lahore, Karachi, and Hyderabad prisons. Acknowledged for his scholarly endeavours, Shad received a master’s degree from the University of New South Wales in Sydney for his research on Third World media. In 1998, he was honoured with the Prime Minister Literary Award by the Pakistan Academy of Letters for his novel ‘Bewatan.’ Shad’s journalism career spanned countries such as Pakistan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, culminating in his retirement as the Head of Urdu Service at the Australian national broadcaster, SBS Radio. Beyond his journalistic endeavours, Shad served as the Academic Editor for Research Affairs at the esteemed UAE University and has taught media courses at the Dubai campus of SZABIST. His recent publication, ‘Underground,’ delves into the history of Pakistan’s left movements, while his forthcoming book, ‘Sahafat ke Khar-o-Gul,’ presents his memoirs of life as a journalist in Pakistan.