Orya Maqbool Jan is a Pakistani columnist, anchor, poet, writer, and former BPS-21 civil servant.
He rose to prominence after appearing as an analyst on the Neo News television show Harf-e-Raaz.
Education
Orya Maqbool Jan holds an LLB from the University of Balochistan in Quetta and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of the Punjab in Lahore.
Personal Life
Orya Maqbool Jan confessed during an interview that he had a love marriage with a student at the college where he used to teach.
He has two daughters and one son. His children are all educated in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Arrest
He was arrested from his home on May 13, 2023, in a crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters.
Career
Orya Maqbool Jan is a well-known Pakistani journalist, poet, playwright, and anchorperson.
Literature and Television Serials
In 1988, his poetry collection “Qamat” was published. He has been actively involved in scriptwriting for Pakistan Television for over seventy years. From 1990 until 2007, his renowned drama series, including “Roazan,” “Gardab,” “Shahrzad,” “Qafas,” and “Qafilah,” aired on Pakistan Television. Pakistan Television honoured him with the Best Drama Writer Award in 1999 and 2007. In addition, he has written approximately fifty standalone television dramas.
Journalism
On January 1, 2002, Orya Maqbool Jan began his career as a columnist. He continues to write columns for other newspapers, including Jang, Nawai Waqt, Express, Dunya, and 92 News. However, in May 2023, his columns were subjected to an extreme ban without any formal notification from prominent circles or “hidden forces,” resulting in the forceful suppression of his columns’ publishing in newspapers across the country. As a result, no Pakistani newspapers are allowed to publish his articles. His columns will no longer be published elsewhere other than his official website oryamaqbool
Civil Services
Orya Maqbool Jan’s dedication to learning remained unwavering, and he taught for five years, most of which he spent at Balochistan University. He entered the District Management Service after passing the competitive test in 1984. He departed from his job on January 18, 2016, after 32 years of dedicated service.
Controversies
Criticism Regarding Women’s Rights
Jan has been criticised for being an extremist on numerous occasions. Jan gained notoriety in 2016 after he called a QMobile commercial featuring a woman aspiring to be a cricketer “vulgar and provocative.” He further stated that women should not participate in political processions “because Pakistani politics are not Islamic politics, and women cannot remain safe there, and thus are responsible for any harassment they face in these very un-Islamic processions.” When asked about Pakistani soldiers using seized civilian women as sex slaves, he said raping them was okay, adding, “Well, those women are going to be raped anyway.” So why not declare them Londian openly and bring them home?”
Ban from Norway
He was barred from visiting Norway in 2018 due to remarks deemed to promote divisive beliefs.
Publications
- Girbad: A play on socio-cultural problems with particular reference to the Baloch tribes in Pakistan.
- Harf-i-Raz: (in 5 volumes) Essays on deteriorating political conditions in Pakistan.
- Qamat: Urdu Poetry
- Mujhe Hai Hukm-i-Azan: Author’s collected columns on various international political issues, published in weekly Z̤arb-i muʼmin Karachi during 2004-06.