Alimuddin Pathan passes away | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Alimuddin Pathan passes away

KARACHI- Senior journalist and Dawn’s senior sub-editor Alimuddin Pathan died after a brief illness. He was 59. He left behind his wife, two sons, four daughters and two grandchildren.

He was buried in Mai Miran Pir graveyard in Lyari.

Born in Lyari, Karachi, he received his early education at B.F. Gabol School and Sindh Madressatul Islam. He did graduation from S.M. Arts College and obtained postgraduate degree in journalism from Karachi University.

He began his career in journalism with the Pakistan Press International (PPI) news agency in the ’60s. Later, he joined The Sun and after some time he again joined PPI before he came over in the 80s to Dawn with which he remained associated till his death.

During his journalistic career spanning over three decades Pathan had worked in various positions, including reporting. He had carved out a place for himself in the think tank of Altaf Husain’s then Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) because of his balanced views that reflected in his reporting on highly volatile politico-ethnic situation in urban Sindh.

Throughout his career, he also played an active role in trade unions. He was the president of the Sun Workers Union, remained secretary of Karachi Press Club, and till his death, he was a member of the federal executive council of Pakistan Federal Union of journalists (PFUJ) and managing committee member of Pakistan Herald Workers’ Union.

An outspoken man, Pathan was known for his frank opinions on various issues. He was admired by many of his friends for his keen observations on current affairs.

“He was a firebrand in his youth as he could make his presence effectively felt in the circles he was moving in,” said some of the journalist friends, who praised him for his scruples saying “Pathan was brutally honest throughout his life”.

Despite an increasing spark and improvement in his reporting, Pathan later on drifted towards a desk job. Once he reportedly told one of his colleagues that he did not find any more charm in his bylines appearing on newspaper pages.

The All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (Apnec), its Karachi Committee Pakistan Federal Union 0f Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) Karachi Press Club (KPC) and Pakistan Herald Workers Union (PHWU) have expressed their grief over his death.

A condolence meeting will be held at Karachi Press Club.

Those who attended his funeral prayers included Editor of Dawn Saleem Asmi, Editor of The News Shaheen Sehbai, All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation chairman Abdul Hameed Chhapra, APNEC Karachi Committee chairman Qamar Rizvi, Karachi Union of Journalists president Sarfaraz Ahmed, Karachi Press Club’s president Khurshid Tanweer, secretary Najib Ahmed, Pakistan Herald Workers Union president Latif Baloch, secretary Shafiuddin Ashraf and a large number of his relatives, colleagues and friends.

GOVERNOR CONDOLES: Sindh Governor Mohammed-mian Soomro has expressed his grief over the death of Aleemuddin Pathan.

The governor praised the services of Mr. Pathan for journalism and the journalist community.

He prayed to Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant fortitude to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.

Source: Dawn
Date:11/16/2001