Zamir Niazi remembered
KARACHI – Journalists led by a jurist on June 16 paid homage to their most honoured comrade, Zamir Niazi, for painstakingly recording gags on press during successive martial law regimes in Pakistan.
The Karachi Press Club and Karachi Union of Journalists jointly held a condolence meeting over the death of country’s foremost journalist who preserved the official onslaught on the first rough draft of history like a devout historian.
Justice (Retired) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim recalled his last sittings with the late journalist remembering him as ‘voice of the truth’.
“Niazi is in the league of Faiz, Sibt-e-Hasan and Hasan Nasir, who would never die but live in people’s heart.”
Ebrahim said Niazi once questioned judiciary’s leniency towards granting three-year legitimacy to the Musharraf regime.
“Sycophancy is the greatest symphony that can even outplay the national anthem,” the jurist recalled his reply to the veteran journalist.
Hussain Naqi, veteran journalist from Lahore, believed that Zamir Niazi was a freedom loving man and lived to see the torch of freedom in all sphere of life alive.
He hoped that the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan would draw inspiration from his marvellous struggle against oppression.
Naqi admired Niazi’s unflinching manner while recording the stated-sponsored siege of Pakistani press. He also read out the message of HRCP director I A Rehman. “Niazi committed himself to a mission and lived a life striving for the achievement of the very mission.”
President of PFUJ Ahfaz-ur-Rehman said that Niazi lived his life telling the truth and his mourners could only pay him real tribute by living up to the integrity of their character. He said Niazi was the most courageous voice within the rank and file of the fourth pillar of the state.
Sultan Ahmed, veteran journalist, missed Zamir Niazi as a very dedicated journalist whose studies were in-depth. He said the late journalist never refrained from self-criticism and even pointed his finger at Pakistani press.
“Zamir Niazi was a living authority on Pakistani press and its survival through the dark passage of our history,” he added. “People like his stature deserve the ultimate respect and honour in society.”
Journalist Wahid Bashir, Lateef Jafary, Nizam Siddiqui, Khurshid Abbasi, Mazhar Abbass, Abdul Hameed Chapra, Ardeshir Cowasjee, Babar Ayaz, public relation guru, and businessman Raees Ashraf Tar Mohammad also showered eulogies for the journalist’s life and his works.
Source: The News
Date:6/17/2004
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