Noted artiste Rasheed Naz passes away

PESHAWAR: Noted television and film artiste Rasheed Naz passed away on Monday after a protracted illness. He was 73.

His funeral prayers were offered at the historic Eidgah on the Charsadda Road and he was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard. A large number of people, including relatives, friends, well-wishers, artistes and journalists attended the last funeral rites of the deceased.

Hailing from the inner city of Peshawar, late Rasheed Naz was known for his excelling acting, tall figure and spirited looks. He launched his acting career almost 50 years back and appeared in a number of Hindko, Pashto, Urdu radio and television plays and a few films.

The government had honored him the prestigious Presidential Pride of Performance Award in recognition of his services to art and culture.

Fellow artistes, including Najibullah Anjum, Ishrat Abbas (son of pre-partition theatre actor Khalil Khan and brother of Umar Daraz), Ejaz Meer, Khalid Khattak and others paid rich tributes to late Rasheed Naz. They termed his death a great loss to art and culture.

Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan expressed profound sorrow and grief over the demise of renowned artiste. In a condolence message issued here, he expressed sympathies with the deceased’s heirs, adding his services in the field of art and culture would be remembered for ever. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with patience.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday expressed his grief and sorrow over the demise of veteran actor Rasheed Naz. The minister, in his condolence message, prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude. He said Rashid had a unique style of acting and his plays were popular among his fans. The loss caused by his death to the showbiz industry would never be overcome, he added.