KARACHI, July 2: One of the old-timers of Pakistani journalism, Mukhtar Zaman, died of brain haemorrhage here on Wednesday at a hospital. He was 80.

He has left behind a widow, Salma Zaman, former principal of Sir Syed Girls College, and two daughters, one of whom is professor at the NED University, Karachi, while the other is a pathologist in UK.

Most of the Mukhtar Zaman’s career as a newsmen spent with the APP news agency where he held numerous assignments and later became its managing director.

He had joined APP (Associated Press of Pakistan) in 1950 in Dhaka as chief reporter, after working with the Morning News in Calcutta. He also worked with Radio Pakistan.

Mr Zaman had also worked with Reuters in London as well as with the BBC’s Urdu service. He had done his M.A. and LL B from Allahabad University.

He was general secretary of the All India Muslim Students Federation, which was headed by the Raja of Mahmoodabad.

Mr Zaman was a well-known writer of Urdu and the author of a number of books in Urdu and English. He was popular among social and literary circles.

He was laid to rest at the Paposhnagar graveyard.

His soyam will be held on Saturday between Asr and Maghrib prayers. For men, arrangements have been made at Jamia Masjid, Hadi Market, and for women, at House 1/2, 4-F, Nazimabad.