ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: Eminent poet and National Book Foundation director-general, Ahmad Faraz, has received Kamal-e-Fun award for the year 2000.

The award, under the aegis of Pakistan Academy of Letters, is given for eminent literary personalities in recognition of their life time service for literature.

For the year 1999 renowned humorist Mushtaq Ahmed Yousifi has been given the award.

Ahmed Faraz and Mushtaq Ahmad Yousifi will receive Rs5,000,000 each, the highest cash award for literature in the country

A six-member jury announced the names of the recipients of the award at a meeting held at the Pakistan Academy of Letters office on Wednesday.

The jury comprised Intizar Hussain, Mushfiq Khawaja, Prof Fateh Mohammed Malik, Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Prof Mohsin Ehsan and Dr Anwar Ahmed.

For 1997 the award was given to Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi and for 1998 Intizar Hussain.

The PAL has also announced the “National Literary Award” for the last three years.

These awards have been given on those literary books which were published during 1998, 1999 and 2000. This award, since its inception in 1981 is given on poetry in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Saraiki, Balochi and English languages.

The award given to eminent writers of each language for their works are:

In Urdu poetry category for year 2000 Amjad Islam Amjad has received Allama Mohammad Iqbal Award with a cash prize of Rs40,000 for his book Sahiloon Ki Hawa; in prose category Daud Rahbar has received Maulvi Abdul Haq Award with a cash prize of Rs40,000 for his book Paraganda Tab’a Loag.

In regional language category Munnu Bhai has been given Syed Waris Shah Award, with a cash of 20,000 for his book Ajay Qayamat Naeen Aaee, (Punjabi); Dr Shah Nawaz Sodhar, has got Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Award, with a cash of 20,000 for his book Ojage Ujaria (Sindhi); Tahir Afridi, has been given Khushhal Khan Khattak Award, with a cash prize of Rs20,000 for his book Kanrro Ke Ragoona (Pushto); Saeed Akhtar has been given Khwaja Farid Award, with a cash prize of 20,000 for Wasakh (Siraiki); Manzoor Bismal has received Mast Tauq Ali Award, with a cash prize of Rs20,000 for his book Aap Rang, (Balochi); Abdul Basit Haqqani has got Pitras Bukhari Award with a cash of Rs20,000 for his work, Papio (English).

For the year 1999 in Urdu poetry category Ahmad Faraz received Allama Muhammad Iqbal Award with a cash prize of Rs40,000 on his book Ghazal Bahaana Karoon; in Urdu prose category Zameer Ali Badayooni has been given Maulvi Abdul Haq Award with Rs40,000 for his work Jadeediat Aur Mabad-i-Jadeediat Ilyas Ghuman got Syed Waris Shah Award with Rs20,000 for his book Pind Dee Luj (Punjabi); Dr Badar Ujan has received Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Award with Rs20,000 for his book Sindhi Adab Main Tanqeed Nigari (Sindhi); Saleem Raz has been given Khushhal Khan Khattak Award with Rs20,000 for his book Tanqeedi Karkhey (Pushto); Zubair Ahmad has received Khwaja Farid Award with Rs20,000 for his work Chandi Marrhe Taak (Siraiki); Saba Dashtiari has got Mast Tauq Ali Award with Rs20,000 for the book Angreen Wahag (Balochi); Ikram Chaghtai has got Pitras Bukhari Award with Rs20,000 for his work Goethe, Iqbal and Orient (English).

The recipients of the award for 1998 are: Abbass Rizvi has been given Allama Muhammad Iqbal Award with Rs40,000 for his book Khwabon Se Tarashe Huay Din in Urdu poetry category; Daud Rahbar has been given received Maulvi Abdul Haq Award with Rs40,000 for his work Culture Ke Ruhani Anaasir (Urdu prose); G. Mustafa Bismal has got Syed Waris Shah Award with Rs20,000 for his book Sufne Unndian Akhan (Punjabi); Jamal Abro has been given Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Award with Rs20,000 for his book Disee Doah Akhyun Seen (Sindhi); Qamar Rahi has got Khushhal Khan Khattak Award with Rs20,000 for his work Sera (Pushto); Allama Azam Saeedi has got Khawaja Farid Award with Rs20,000 for his book Ramz Fareedi (Siraiki); Ghani Parwaz has received Mast Tauq Ali Award with Rs200,00 for his book Mausum Unt Wadarani (Balochi); the late Safdar Mir (Zeno) has received Pitras Bukhari Award with Rs20,000 for his work Modern Urdu Poets in English language category.

According to the decision of the PAL board of governors the amount of the awards has been evened out to Rs50,000 for each language with effect from January 2001. Previously the amount for Urdu prose and poetry was Rs40,000 and only Rs20,000 for other regional languages and English.