LAHORE: Professor of Mass Communication Dr Mehdi Hassan, Sitara-i-Imtiaz recipient, passed away after a protracted illness on Wednesday. He was 85.

Dr Mehdi Hassan is survived by wife Rakhshanda Hasan, sons, grandchildren and brothers. Prof Dr Mehdi Hassan taught hundreds of thousands of students and inspired many. His teaching career spanned over 50 years.

He was the country’s left-wing journalist, media historian, Dean of Journalism and Mass communication at the Beaconhouse National University and a Professor of Mass Communication at the Punjab University.