Sahba Lucknavi began his literary journey in Bhopal, his birthplace. After completing his education in Lucknow, he launched his career as the Editor of the magazine AFKAR in the 1950s, starting from Bhopal. Following the partition, he relocated to Pakistan and revived AFKAR in 1951. His first collection of poetry was published in Bhopal in 1943. In 1962, his travelogue Safarnama: Meray Khawabon ki Sir Zameen was released. Sahba Lucknavi also made significant contributions to Iqbal studies, with his research work Iqbal Aur Bhopal published in three volumes by the Iqbal Academy. Throughout his career, he edited numerous books, but his monthly magazine AFKAR remained the cornerstone of his literary legacy.

Sahba Lucknavi’s passion for AFKAR was driven by his desire to celebrate the works of renowned poets during their lifetimes, a groundbreaking approach at a time when tributes were typically paid posthumously. This led to the publication of special editions dedicated to luminaries such as Firaq Gorakhpuri (FIAZ number), Josh Malihabadi (JOSH number), Hafiz Jalandhari (HAFIZ number), Saadat Hasan Manto (Manto number), and Nadeem Qasmi (NADEEM number), among others.

AFKAR continued as a monthly publication until 2004. The final issue was released posthumously as a tribute to Sahba Lucknavi’s enduring literary contributions.