Azmi Haq is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and strategy consultant.

Career

Azmi Haq served as an Additional Federal Secretary and consultant to the former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....

. Between 2006 and 2008 Haq also served as Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach for Ontario’s Deputy Premier, the Honourable George Smitherman

George Smitherman

George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...

. Haq is a staunch commentator on Pakistani politics and often publishes opinion pieces for Pakistan's leading news daily The Nation

The Nation

The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...

. Haq is also a political commentator on international affairs in Canadian broadcast radio and television
Haq has also played leading roles in numerous television series for Pakistan Television Corporation

Pakistan Television Corporation

The Pakistan Television Corporation is Pakistan's national television broadcaster. The first live transmission of PTV began on November 26, 1964, in Lahore...

, and created shows for Showcase and the CBC

CBC News

CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...

. He is presently working on a feature screenplay, The Red Bazaar.

Azmi Haq is also the Executive Producer of Salon Camden

Salon camden

Salon Camden is an interactive socio-cultural salon where residents of Toronto, Canada meet. Salon Camden is one of the few salons held in Canada. It was founded by Azmi Haq.Salon Camden’s discussions take place at Dr. Richard Florida and Dr...

, an urban cultural project that provides an interactive space for citizens to come together over dinner and wine to share opinions and ideas about the city's changing urban landscape. Featured speakers have included India's former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, John Tory

John Tory

John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...

, Maytree Foundation CEO Ratna Omidvar, Canada's former Minister of Foreign Affairs the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew

Pierre Pettigrew

Pierre Stewart Pettigrew, PC is a Canadian politician.Born in Quebec City, Pettigrew has a BA in Philosophy from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford University...

, former Ontario Deputy Premier Honourable George Smitherman

George Smitherman

George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...

, the Honourable Jason Kenney

Jason Kenney

Jason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....

, and ROM's former CEO William Thorsell

William Thorsell

William Thorsell, O.Ont is a Canadian journalist, past Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Ontario Museum...

. Salon Camden is one of a growing number of salons being held throughout North America. Salon Camden also brings youth and academics together through the Camden File Project to discuss pressing urban issues. The first Camden File Project salon was held in 2010 in collaboration with NOW Magazine on the topic "Streets of Toronto: Who's Space is it Anyway? Salon Camden also launched a series of global salons in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

, United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

, St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

, and Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

; Azmi Haq was appointed as a Toronto Ambassador for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Lead roles

• Lazawaal (1983)
• Aab-o-Daana (1985)
• RAAT (1988)
• Piyaas (1989)
• Khwahish (1990)

Long plays/tele-movies

• Leikin (tele-moive / long play) (1994)
• Rustom aur Sauraab (1994)
• Umeed-e-Bahaar (tele-movie / long play) (1990)
• Eik Minute (1993)
• Ehsaan (1996)

Feature Films

• East of Yonge (Telefilm Canada
  Telefilm Canada
  Telefilm Canada or Téléfilm Canada is a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Canada.It is the primary federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry....
  
  /Harold Greenberg Fund)
• The Red Bazaar (Roohijee Films Toronto)

Television Series

• Spicy Fusion (Showcase - Telefilm Canada) 2005
• Double Fare (six episode TV mini-series)
• Yaar (six episode TV mini-series)
• The Regency (CBC
  Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
  
  )
• Absolutely Normal (CBC)

Recent Articles Published

"Ontario's South Asian Transnationals: Unlocking the Potential of an Untapped Resource", Ontario Working Paper Series, Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto

"A Rocky Road Ahead", The Nation, Pakistan

"A Political Hiccup", The Nation, Pakistan