The Story Behind Pakistan’s Qaumi Taranah: How Pakistan Finalised Its National Anthem with Only One Urdu Word

Key Points:

In 1947, the subcontinent was divided into two nations—India and Pakistan—during the Partition of India. Pakistan was created as a Muslim-majority country, then consisting of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Partition was a dark chapter in history, as millions were forced to migrate, families were separated, and large-scale violence took place.

After independence, Pakistan, as a newly formed nation, faced several major challenges—managing refugees, building administrative infrastructure, dividing assets, ensuring security, addressing water resource issues, and stabilising the economy. Alongside these, the country also had to establish its constitutional and political identity, including choosing a national anthem.

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Pakistan took nearly seven years to finalise its national anthem, known as the Qaumi Taranah. In June 1948, a South African Muslim businessman, A.R. Ghani, offered a prize of 5,000 rupees for the best lyrics and composition. When this effort did not succeed, the government formed a National Anthem Committee (NAC) to take over the task.

In 1949, a melody composed by Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla was approved. Initially, the anthem existed only as instrumental music and was played without lyrics. The composition was then shared with several prominent poets across the country. After reviewing hundreds of submissions, the lyrics written by Hafeez Jalandhari were selected.

Jalandhari wrote the anthem in highly Persianised Urdu—a refined form that blended accessibility with sophistication. The anthem contains 49 words, with only one word, “kā” (کا), being purely Urdu, while the rest are derived from Persian.

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This linguistic choice was intentional. Persian had long been a court and literary language in the region, especially during the Mughal Empire, and carried deep cultural significance. Using Persianised vocabulary allowed the anthem to sound poetic, rhythmic, and elevated.

At the same time, it helped avoid favouring any single regional language like Punjabi, Sindhi, or Bengali, thereby promoting a sense of unity in a newly formed and diverse nation. The language also reflects Pakistan’s cultural and historical connections with broader Islamic traditions.

The national anthem was officially broadcast for the first time on Radio Pakistan in August 1954, marking its formal debut.

[VP]

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