Pakistani intellectuals and writers paid tribute to the memory of Khalid Hasan as they highlighted the late author's extraordinary works and several contributions to the field of journalism. Friends and colleagues of Hasan, who in his long career also worked as Washington Correspondent for the Associated Press of Pakistan from 2000 to 2002, gathered under the banner of Washington Policy Analysis Group to commemorate his fifth death anniversary.
Khalid Hasan passed away in Virginia on February 5, 2009, having penned several books and writings on a myriad of subjects. He also translated a series of books including short stories of acclaimed Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto. A prolific writer, Hasan displayed a keen sense of observation and artistic mastery of English language in his over 40 published works on politics, arts and literature.
Seasoned journalists Akmal Aleemi and Dr Manzur Ejaz shed light on the personality, last days, and works of Hasan, whose edifice of work is known for absorbing delineation of important events in the lives of some major Pakistani figures including Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Noor Jehan and Hamid Jalal.
Former senator Dr Muhammad Akbar Khwaja, Dr Javed Manzoor and economist Ali Nawaz Memon praised the writer's profound insight into political developments and his objective analytical skills.
Journalists recalled the importance of works written by Khalid Hasan, whose high-quality columns 'filled with a mix of wit, humour, satire, and candid realism, and written in a seamless flow of English language ' remained essential diet for generations of readers.