Veteran sports journalist Syed Muhammad Sufi dies at 80

Veteran journalist and Geo News Sports Editor Syed Muhammad Sufi, a distinguished voice in Urdu journalism and one of the country's most respected sports reporters, passed away on Sunday after a prolonged illness at the age of 80.

Sufi is survived by his wife, four sons, and a large circle of students and colleagues who regarded him as a mentor and guide.

His funeral prayer will be offered today after Asr at Rehman Arabian Villas Mosque in Karachi.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to Syed Muhammad Sufi, saying his passing marked the end of a golden era in sports journalism.

He praised Sufi's role in promoting sports, especially cricket, and noted that his journalistic contributions would be remembered with respect.

Sufi had worked with several newspapers and magazines, particularly with Geo News and Daily Jang, with which he had been associated for over three decades.

He was counted among the senior-most members of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and was regarded as a mentor to generations of journalists.

He began his career as a junior sub-editor and rose to prominence in the 1980s, when noted journalist Nadir Shah Adil introduced him to cricket writer Munir Hussain, who offered him a position at his cricket magazine. It was here that Sufi made his mark with distinctive writing and high-profile interviews.

Over the years, he conducted interviews with some of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers, including Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif, and Inzamam-ul-Haq.

During General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law in 1977, Sufi was arrested for his opposition to the regime and spent several months in Karachi and Sahiwal jails.