Veteran journalist Arif Nizami passes away in Lahore

Lahore: Senior journalist and former caretaker federal minister for information and postal service Arif Nizami passed away on Wednesday in Lahore, Aaj TV reported.

He was under treatment at a hospital following a heart attack. The details of his funeral prayers will be revealed in due course.

Nizami was the editor of The Nation and president of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE). In 2013, he served as the caretaker minister during former caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso’s cabinet.

In one of his articles, published on June 6, 2021 in Pakistan Today, Nizami argued that "any revival of the economy will require a reform agenda that has to be chalked out sooner than later".

Nizami was the son of Hameed Nizami, the founder of the Nawa-i-Waqt Group of newspapers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan offered his condolence and prayers to the family.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said "was heartbroken to hear of the demise of Arif Nizami".

Pakistan Peoples Party's Senator Sherry Rehman said Nizami was among the finest journalists, who always had time for the powerless and the voiceless.

"Arif Nizami stood for human rights, and democracy. He was an institution for journalists," said Dr Jabbar Khattak, secretary general at CPNE.

"The journalist community will greatly miss him."