Senior journalist Idrees Bakhtiar passes away

KARACHI: Senior journalist Idrees Bakhtiar passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in Karachi on Wednesday.

Bakhtiar briefly remained admitted to a Karachi hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was aged 74.

The late senior journalist had served as the head of Editorial Committee of Geo News.

He had previously been affiliated with the BBC and Herald among several other publications.

His funeral prayers will be offered at Waseem Bagh in Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi after Fajr prayers.

Bakhtiar, a senior member of Karachi Press Club, will be laid to rest in Karachi on Thursday (today).

Expressing sorrow over Bakhtiar's demise, President Arif Alvi said, "What a sad departure. My dear friend whom I had known for decades, the nice courteous journalist Idrees Bakhtiar has passed away".

"May his soul rest in peace and Allah grant his family the strength to bear this loss," the president wrote on Twitter.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb expressed sorrow over the demise of Bakhtiar.

"Idrees Bakhtiar was a credible reference to journalism in Pakistan. He earned great name in national and international media through his remarkable services," she said. Aurangzeb said they pay tribute to Bakhtiar for his exceptional journalistic services.