Saleem Kausar

Biography

Saleem Kausar is a celebrated contemporary Pakistani poet whose ghazals have touched the hearts of readers and listeners for decades. Born in Panipat in 1947, just months before Partition, he and his family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Khanewal. Growing up in a new homeland during a time of transition, Saleem developed a sensitivity to themes of longing, love, and belonging that would later define his poetry.

He began writing poetry at a young age and soon became active in mushairas, where his simple yet soulful ghazals earned him popularity. Unlike many poets who preferred complex metaphors and dense imagery, Saleem Kausar’s strength lay in his clarity. His verses were easy to understand, but they carried deep emotional resonance. This quality made him one of the most admired poets in Pakistan’s mushaira tradition, and he quickly became a household name among lovers of Urdu poetry.

His fame grew further when he started writing lyrics for television and film songs. In the 1980s and 1990s, many Pakistani dramas featured his songs and ghazals, which added to his recognition across the country. Audiences connected with the sincerity and simplicity of his words, and singers brought his verses to life with music.

Among his popular poetry collections are Kaise Kaise Khwab, Khali Jaghain Pur Karo, and Mausam Mausam. His ghazals often speak of love, heartbreak, and the bittersweet nature of life. He became known for his ability to express complex emotions in the simplest of words, making his poetry both accessible and profound.

In his personal life, Saleem Kausar has remained devoted to literature and poetry, participating in countless mushairas across Pakistan and abroad. His presence at international poetry gatherings helped bring Urdu poetry to global audiences, particularly among the South Asian diaspora.

Today, Saleem Kausar is regarded as one of the most popular contemporary ghazal poets of Pakistan. His verses continue to be recited at gatherings, shared in books and on social media, and remembered in songs that remain timeless.

His poetry proves that sometimes simplicity carries the deepest impact, and that true beauty lies in words that touch the heart directly.