The News reporter Fasahat Mohiuddin fondly remembered at KPC condolence event

Glowing tributes were paid to senior journalist and former The News Karachi reporter Fahat Mohiuddin at a condolence reference recently organised by the Karachi Press Club (KPC). Friends of the late Mohiuddin and senior journalists shared their memories of him at the event.

The veteran journalist passed away on April 16, 2021, at the age of 65. A few weeks ago, he had suffered a massive stroke.

The widow and nephew of the late journalist also attended the condolence reference and thanked the KPC for holding the event.

Former KPC secretary and veteran journalist Maqsood Yousufi presided over the event. He said Mohiuddin was a simple, honest and humble person who started his journalist career from the Pakistan Press International (PPI) news agency in 1980s and reported crime, courts, local government and political parties during his long career spreading over around 40 years.

Yousufi maintained that Mohiuddin was mentally a strong person who did reporting during the violent era in Karachi when dozens of people used to be killed in the city on a daily basis.

He said the late journalist once moved to the United States but decided to return to Pakistan to take care of his ailing parents.

KPC Joint Secretary Aslam Khan remembered Mohiuddin as a brave journalist who used to cover stories related to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and asked burning questions during press conferences of Altaf Hussain and other leaders of the party.

He said once during a telephonic speech of Altaf, Mohiuddin loudly said he was not audible when the Rabita Committee was telling the party founder his voice could be easily heard.

The News Karachi Desk’s Bilal Ahmed said Mohiuddin was a polite person who used to file his stories regularly but unlike other reporters, he never put pressure on the desk. He would say his job was to file stories, not to get them published.

Former KPC president Imtiaz Khan Faran said Mohiuddin was like his brother. He recalled that he used to live in Orangi Town during the era of violence in the city and whenever he could not go to his home due to law and order situation, he would stay at Mohiuddin’s house in Nazimabad. He said the late journalist even sheltered some leaders of the MQM during the days of a massive operation against the party that had forced many of its leaders to go underground.

Other senior journalists, including former KPC secretary Amir Latif, Azeem Samar, Imran Ayub, Muhammad Naeem and Qamar Rizvi, also spoke about Mohiuddin. KPC Health Committee Secretary M Waqar Bhatti moderated the event.