Journalists honoured with Lala Amir Siddiqi Award

PESHAWAR: Four journalists were honoured with Lala Amir Siddiqi Award in various categories on Tuesday in recognition of their services to the profession.

The awards were given at a special ceremony arranged by the Abasin Arts Council at the Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The award has been instituted in the name of late Lala Amir Siddiqi, a widely respected social figure and Peshawar-based journalist who promoted journalism and newspaper reading in the province from the platform of Sadiq News Agency—an outlet set up by his father, Lala Wazir Muhammad Siddiqi (1904-73), in the year 1922.

Minister for Mineral Resources Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Consul General of Islamic Republic of Iran Aqai Hussani, Director General of Khana-e-Farhang-e-Iran Ali Yousefi, veteran journalist and former chairman of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Peshawar, Hafiz Sanaullah, senior journalist Qaiser Mehmood Butt, former minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah, sons of Lala Amir Ahmad Siddiqi, Attique Ahmad Siddiqi and Intikhab Amir, were among those present on the occasion.

Khurram Pervez of The News was adjudged the best photojournalist. Riffat Anjum of Geo News was awarded for excelling in reporting. Tariq Mateen of daily Express received the best sub-editor award. M Riaz of daily Nawa-i-Waqt was considered the best senior reporter and Habibur Rehman received the award for the columnist category.

The speakers paid tributes to Lala Amir Ahmad Siddiqi and his father Lala Wazir Muhammad Siddiqi for their services to journalism in the province.

They recalled that Lala Amir Siddiqi, who was born on March 30, 1931 and died on March 25, 2015, served as full-time correspondent of a reputed newspaper of the time “Zamindar” and provided a platform to the local journalists by becoming the founding general secretary of the Peshawar Press Club in 1960s. They remembered him for his devotion, honesty and professionalism.

The speakers welcomed the issuance of Lala Amir Siddiqi Award, saying ot would lead to healthy competition among journalists.

The organisers said that a six-member committee comprising senior journalists of the Peshawar Press Club and Khyber Union Journalists was constituted for selecting nominees for the award.

A special dua was offered for the departed soul of Lala Amir Ahmad Siddiqi.