Veteran journalist Muhammad Ziauddin passes away at 83; laid to rest in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI, Nov 29 (SABAH): Veteran journalist and former resident editor of Dawn Muhammad Ziauddin passed away on Monday in Islamabad after a period of prolonged illness. He was 83.
Later in the day his funeral prayer was offered at Media Town in Rawalpindi. A large number of people including former prime minister and Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PPP former senator Farhatullah Khan Babar, former emir Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir and former chairman public accounts committee of AJK Legislative Assembly Abdul Rashid Turabi attended the funeral prayer. After offering prayer he was laid to rest at the local graveyard.
State broadcaster Pakistan Television confirmed the news while paying homage to the deceased for his “illustrious career” that spanned 60 years and included extensive contributions for various media outlets such as The News International, Dawn and The Express Tribune among others. He was also Dawn’s former resident editor in Islamabad.
Muhammad Ziauddin earned a Masters degree in Journalism from Karachi University in 1964. Later that same year he made his entry in the profession as a cub report in Pakistan Press International.
He then joined Dawn, which formed his longest association, serving as a resident editor for Islamabad and Lahore. He was also the paper’s correspondent in London from 2006 to 2009.
Among his other experience in the field, he served as the assistant secretary general for the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and as the president of the South Asia Free Media Association from 2002 to 2006.
Born in 1938 in Madras, Ziauddin along with his family had moved to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) following partition and had studied BSc in Pharmacy at the Dhaka University. It was in 1960 when he had moved to Pakistan and three years later had joined Karachi University to study journalism.
His first job in the field of journalism was as a cub reporter at the Pakistan Press International (PPI) – then Pakistan Press Agency – and since then he worked at different news organisations in editorial positions with The Express Tribune being his last. In July 2014, Ziauddin resigned as the executive editor of the English daily and went on to work as a freelance journalist.
Condolences poured in from the country’s journalism and media community, with various figures paying their tributes.
Dawn News show Zara Hat Kay host Mubashir Zaidi called Ziauddin an “icon of Pakistani journalism”.
Another journalist Nasir Jamal said: “One of the finest and upstanding journalists and among the pioneers of economic journalism in Pakistan. Always very kind to his juniors like us.”
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has expressed grief and sorrow over the sad demise of renowned journalist Ziauddin.
In a tweet, he said Ziauddin was one of the most capable and fiercely independent journalists. He said Ziauddin was no commoner a wise man; and integrity and boldness were added to his personality.
The Minister prayed may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
In a statement, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib also expressed grief over the death of senior journalist Ziauddin.
He said Ziauddin has played a key role in independent journalism in Pakistan.
The Minister of State prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul and courage for the bereaved family to bear this loss.
Human Rights Minister Dr. Shireen M. Mazari too remembered him to be “a man of principles, polite in discussions & debates never adopting a an accusatory tone”.
PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui also expressed grief and sorrow on the demise of Muhammad Ziauddin. In a condolence message Irfan Siddiqui said that Muhammad Ziauddin was the big and credible name of the Pakistani journalism. He said that late Muhammad Ziauddin passes his while life while promoting the bright traditions of journalism, adding that the services of late Muhammad Ziauddin will always be remembered for freedom of expressed and journalism. He said that Muhammad Ziauddin was such bright minarete of the journalism from whom the young journalists should seek guidance.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui prayed higher status in heaven for the departed soul and courage for the family members of the deceased to bear this irreparable loss.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir remarked that Ziauddin was one of the few journalists whose practical experience spanned half a century. “We learnt a lot from him.”
“Gentle, dignified, man who was a professional through and through. May he rest in peace. Feels like we’re losing all of our best,” tweeted The News Op-ed Editor Zebunnisa Burki.
Meanwhile, political analyst Mazhar Abbas said Ziauddin was not only an “outstanding journalist” but also “an iconic figure and a guide for all the young journalists”.
Digital rights activist and human rights lawyer Nighat Dad also paid tribute to Ziaudding, saying that he was an “intellectual giant” in the journalist community and a role model for many in the profession and beyond.