Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (Khushnood-Amir Group) (CPNE) while paying homage to pioneer of business and economic journalism in Pakistan and founder Editor-In-Chief Daily Business Recorder and Aaj News TV and former CPNE President, Muhammad Ahmed Zuberi, announced that it has decided to set up MA Zuberi Award for journalists. The editors' body also suggested the setting up of MA Zuberi Institute of Economics and Finance Journalism.
Paying tributes to the countless services rendered by the late Zuberi in the field of journalism particularly in economics and finance, the organisation held a condolence meeting in late journalist's memory at its office on Wednesday. The meeting was addressed by Secretary General Aamir Mahmood, Vice-President Sindh Hamid Hussain Abidi, Standing Committee member Mahmood-ul-Aziz, Editor Business Recorder Wamiq A. Zuberi, Executive Editor Express Tribune Ziauddin.
Others who spoken on the occasion included Editor Awami Awaz Dr Jabbar Khattak, Editor Express Tahir Najmi, Saeed Khawar from Nawa-e-Waqt, Naseer Hashmi from Ummat, Muzzafar Aijaz from Sada News, Mangal Dasa from Hilal-e-Pakistan, Ghulam Nabi Chandio from Pak, Younus Mehr from monthly Halchal, Aarif Baloch from Balochistan Express, Shabbir Ahmed from Intikhab, Sohbat from Anjam, Hazbullah Tonio from Sindh Sajag.
During the meeting, senior editor Mahmoodul Aziz presented to Wamiq A Zuberi a historical paper and its video CD record, "My Years in Journalism - In Retrospect," which was set and read by the late Zuberi at a conference held on March 15, 2002 organised by CPNE in his honour at its office. During the meeting, various visuals of the CD were screened. CPNE's Khushnood-Amir Group Secretary General Aamir Mahmood paid glowing tributes to the late Zuberi.
Wamiq A Zuberi said his father was his teacher, guide, best friend and hero. He said a newspaper on economics and finance in the shape of Business Recorder was launched in 1965. He recalled that his father had categorically told his family and friends that he would never compete with Dawn as he had given the best years of his life to a newspaper founded by the Quaid. He said Business Recorder had remained a no-profit-no-loss venture for 19 years after its launch.
"My father used to say that CPNE is about to divide into factions and now we are witnessing a split in this institution," he said. He said the late founder editor always refused to take press advices even during military regimes. Executive Editor Express Tribune M. Ziauddin said Business Recorder of MA Zuberi is the most reliable newspaper in economic and financial journalism and M A Zuberi was the true pioneer of economic and financial journalism in Pakistan. Running an English financial daily in Pakistan particularly in the 1960s was indeed a remarkable achievement, Ziauddin said.
He said editorials written by M A Zuberi was a source of guidance for many; particularly policy-makers. He said when he joined Dawn he always used to take guidance from Business Recorder. Ziauddin said the presentation of economic and business news in the most simplistic way to common man with the arrival of Aaj TV was followed by other news channels.
Senior Journalist Mahmood-ul-Aziz said that the late Zuberi was among those journalists who laid the foundations of journalism in Pakistan. He said the late Zuberi had always played a very important role in strengthening CPNE. Aamir Mahmood conducted the programme while Muzaffar Ejaz recited the Holy Quran.