Veteran TV actor Anwar Iqbal passes away

KARACHI: Renowned TV actor Anwar Iqbal passed away Thursday afternoon after a protracted illness, according to family and friends. He was in his 70s.

The actor had been chronically ill for some time and had issued a statement Saturday, requesting his fans to pray for his health. He had also requested his fans for his privacy during his health struggles. It remains to be known what the cause of death was. However, one of his family friends told The News that Iqbal was suffering from multiple diseases, including diabetes.

The veteran television actor and director had achieved fame with his work on the hit drama series 'Shama.' He went on to star in Naseem Hijazi’s Akhri Chattan in the early 1980s and acted in many Urdu and Sindhi dramas. He made his directorial debut with the drama Ishq Pecha in 1984 and directed some Urdu and Sindhi dramas.

Some of his notable works include Pul Siraat, Rasta Anjana Se, and Hina Ki Khushboo. While he was successful, Anwar faced some drawbacks in his career when he produced his first and last Balochi film Hammal o Mahganj in 1976 as it sparked controversy, and was subsequently forced to stop screening. After some 40 years, Iqbal had decided to take out the film from the boxes and screen it on February 28 in 2017-- as part of the 7th Baloch Culture Day celebration -- at the Karachi Arts Council. Iqbal’s funeral prayer was offered Thursday night and he was laid to rest at Mewa Shah graveyard.

Office bearers and the members of governing body of the Arts Council's of Pakistan Karachi. expressed deep sorrow over the actor’s death. “It is difficult to find such a great actor,” Arts Council president Mohammad Ahmed Shah said. “He was a great artist, he played many memorable roles in Urdu and Sindhi dramas.”

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, Pak Sarzameen Party chief Syed Mustafa Kamal and others have expressed their sorrow over the death of Iqbal.