Nazar Barni was born in Bulandshahr, (U.P.). He had his schooling at Bulandshahr and his college education in Delhi and Aligarh. Besides holding an M.A. degree in Urdu, he is also equipped with a degree in library science. He is at present working as a library officer at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. Among his publications may be mentioned: Kafgir, Boo-e-Gul, Shama-e-Firozaan, Zauq-e-Nazzara, Gorakh Dhanda, and Gustakhi Muaaf. Basically a satirist, Burney chooses as his target the widespread evil of corruption which is eating at the vitals of our society. He is particularly critical of the sycophants and flatterers who are all the time hovering around ministers and men of power with the sole aim of feathering their own nests. Burney's satire is general, not particular, and his main motive is reform, not revenge. In the following lines, he is laughing at the spectacle of a cunning politician who cringes before everyone at election time, but never shows up afterward.

Humble me the way you like, heap me with disgrace,
I'm the dust beneath your feet, being a candidate,
But you must remember, this is my creed:
Not to look you up again, once I succeed.

Ruswa karo, zaleel karo, sab qabool hai, 
Banda umeedwar hai, 'charnon ki dhool' hai;
Lekin yeh yaad rakhieye, Election ko jeet kar, 
Mur kar na dekhna mera pehla usool hai.

Barni is an adept in the art of parody. He has successfully exploited the meanings and measures of Ghalib, Iqbal, or Faiz for the more mundane task of social satire.