Mahpara Safdar

Mahpara Safdar (born 15 November 1954) is a Pakistani journalist, column writer, and former newscaster at PTV, Radio Pakistan, and BBC Urdu.

Mahpara Safdar
مہ پارہ صفدر
Mahpara Safdar
Born
Mahpara Zaidi

(1954-11-15) 15 November 1954
Lahore, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
Education
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • column writer
  • former newscaster
Years active1975 – present
TelevisionPakistan Television
Spouse
Safdar Hamdani
​
(m. 1979)​
Parent
  • Syed Hassan Abbas Zaidi (father)
Awards

Early life and education

Safdar was born on November 15, 1954, in Lahore. Safdar's father, Syed Hassan Abbas Zaidi, was a poet and was associated with the education department. Safdar was the fourth of six sisters. She came to Sargodha with her parents as a child and received her primary, high school, and college education from Sargodha. She earned her master's degree in English from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. Meanwhile, she also participated in university programs on Radio Pakistan. Later in her career, she did MA in women's studies from the University of London.[1][2]

Career

Safdar joined Pakistan Television Lahore as a newscaster in 1975. She remained associated with PTV till 1990. In January 1990, she went abroad with her family and joined BBC Urdu Service in London, where she worked as a newscaster till 2014. She did several broadcasting courses at the BBC.[1][2][3]

According to a Gallup survey conducted in 1986, she was the most popular female PTV newscaster.[4][5][6]

Safdar has also been working as the editor for current affairs in the Aalami Akhbar since November 2006.[7]

Personal life

In August 1979, Safdar married poet and radio producer Safdar Hamadani.[8][2]

News presentations
Year Title Role Network Ref.
1975 – 1990 Urdu Khabrein Newscaster Radio Pakistan [9]
1975 – 1990 PTV Khabarnama Newscaster Pakistan Television [10]
1990 – 2014 Sairbeen News presenter BBC Urdu [11]

Books
  • Mera Zamana Meri Kahani (autobiography),[3][12] published by Book Corner, Jehlam, in 2022, ISBN 978-969-662-470-7

Awards and recognition
YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
1983Nigar AwardBest NewscasterWon[2][13]
1984PTV AwardBest NewscasterWon[2]

References
  1. "معروف نیوز کاسٹر مہ پارہ صفدر65برس کی ہو گئیں جانتے ہیں انہوں نے اپنے کیرئیر کا آغاز کہاں سے کیا؟". javedch.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  2. "معروف نیوز کاسٹر مہ پارہ صفدر65برس کی ہو گئیں". UrduPoint (in Urdu). 14 November 2019.
  3. Kalasra, Rauf. "میرا زمانہ میری کہانی". Qindeel (in Urdu). Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  4. "Popular PTV newscasters: Khalid Hameed and Mahpara Safdar are the most popular newscasters". Gallup Pakistan. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  5. "Year 1986". Gallup Pakistan. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  6. "khalid hameed and mahpara safdafr are most ... - Gallup Pakistan". Yumpu. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  7. "عالمی اخبار کے ہم سفر". Aalami Akhbar. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  8. "'تیسری شادی کب ہوگی۔۔۔'". BBC Urdu. 23 December 2009.
  9. "Radio: reasons for decline in Pakistan". Dawn. April 14, 2012.
  10. "The nostalgic golden years of television". Dawn. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  11. "It's Sairbeen's final goodbye after 51 years". Dawn. December 23, 2019.
  12. Qureshi, Saadia (23 December 2022). "میرا زمانہ میری کہانی". Daily 92 News.
  13. "نگار ایوارڈز برائے سال 1983". Nigar Weekly (in Urdu). Golden Jubilee Number: 295. 2000.
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