Renowned journalist Arif Nizami passes away

LAHORE: Seasoned journalist and Editor of the daily “Pakistan Today” Arif Nizami passed away here Wednesday after being hospitalized for two weeks, the family sources confirmed. He had suffered a heart attack and was admitted to a private hospital in Lahore.

Arif Nizami was the son of Hameed Niazi, the founder of the Nawa-i-Waqt. He had served as the caretaker minister for information and postal services during former caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso’s Cabinet in 2013. He was also elected as the president of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE). Arif Nizami also remained editor of The Nation, a sister daily of Nawa-i-Waqt. Later, he launched his own newspaper “Pakistan Today”.

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of Arif Nizami and prayed for the departed soul.

The prime minister on his twitter handle posted, “Saddened to learn of the passing of veteran journalist, editor and political commentator Arif Nizami. My condolences and prayers go to his family.”

The president said that late Nizami’s contributions in the field of journalism would be remembered. Chief of the Air Staff Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu expressed his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of senior journalist Arif Nizami. “May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen,” said the Air Chief in a condolence message.

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of veteran and renowned journalist Arif Nizami. In his message, the foreign minister prayed for the high ranks of the departed soul and expressed sympathy with the bereaved family. Qureshi said that late Nizami was a renowned journalist, thinker and a friendly person. His contributions in the field of journalism would be remembered for long, he added.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain said on Friday that death of eminent journalist Arif Nizami was a huge loss and his services in the field of journalism would always be remembered.

He said this while talking to media after visiting the residence of late Arif Nizami where he offered condolence to the bereaved family. He also offered “Fateha” for the departed soul. He said the beacon lit by Arif Nizami in the field of journalism would keep shining and it would be a great source of inspiration for the future journalists.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of Arif Nizami. In his condolence message, he said, “with the death of Arif Nizami a major chapter in Pakistan’s journalism has closed”.

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) expressed profound grief over the sad demise of its former president and veteran editor. In a release, Sarmad Ali, President and Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, Secretary General APNS, said late Arif Nizami, Chief Editor, Daily Pakistan Today and President CPNE, was a seasoned editor and publisher who always stood for the freedom of press and fought against all forms of curbs on freedom of expression.

The APNS office-bearers stated that the services of Arif Nizami will always be remembered in the annals of national press and it will not be easy to fill the vacuum created by his demise. The APNS office-bearers expressed their condolences and prayed that Allah may rest the departed soul in eternal peace.