Senior journalist M Ziauddin passes away

ISLAMABAD: Senior journalist and noted economic analyst Muhammad Ziauddin passed away on Monday after a brief illness at the age of 83.

Ziauddin worked more than 6 decades and had worked extensively for almost all major newspapers of Pakistan including ‘The Muslim, The Express Tribune, The News, and Dawn. He was laid to rest in Islamabad on Monday.

Following the end of his splendid career, he continued writing mostly freelance for noted publications. IHC chief justice, journalists, politicians, and activists are expressing their condolences over the sad demise of veteran journalist.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, ex-Senator Farhatullah Babar, PMLN spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb, Pemra Chairman Saleem Baig, ex federal secretaries Anwar Mahmood and Shafqat Jalil, ex-additional secretary Tahir Hanfi, senior journalists Zafar Abbas, Ayub Nasir, Shakil Turabi, Tahir Parvaaz, Nasiralick, Farooq Aqdus Afzal Butt, Farooq Faisal, Nasir Zaidi, Shakil Anjum, Nawaz Raza, Pervaiz Shaukat, Nusrat Javed, Asim Yasin, Anwar Raza and others attended Nimaz-e-Jinazah of deceased.

Former president Pakistan Peoples’ Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the death of senior journalist M Ziauddin.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistan Peoples; Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi, leader of the House in Senate Dr Waseem Shahzad, and leader of the opposition Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari and others on Monday expressed grief and sorrow over the sad demise of seasoned journalist Ziauddin.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condoled the death of veteran journalist and Editor M. Ziauddin announcing a three-day mourning.

The union says it has suspended all activities for three days and that offices of the journalist body hoist black flags to mourn the death of the veteran journalist. In a statement issued on Monday, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi said the death of Ziauddin was not only a great loss of the journalist fraternity but also of all those who work for rule of law, supremacy of parliament and upholding fundamental rights of all Pakistanis.