ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: Veteran journalist H.K. Burki, who died on Saturday after a long illness, was buried at the Islamabad graveyard on Sunday.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali were among those who issued messages expressing their sorrow over the loss to journalism by Mr Burki’s death and paid tributes to him.

Journalists of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as well his friends and government officials, including federal information secretary Anwar Mahmood, attended the funeral.

The ‘Qul’ ceremony for Mr Burki will be held on Monday at his Islamabad home (house 28, street 8, F-7/3) at 3-4pm, the family announced.

President Musharraf said in his message Mr Burki had worked hard to raise the standard of journalism in the country and was held in high esteem by his colleagues.

Prime Minister Jamali said he was shocked by the death of Mr Burki. He paid tributes to him for working hard to earn a high stature for himself and for his bold comments.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said Mr Burki’s death was a loss to Pakistan and the journalist community.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-N president Shahbaz Sharif sent a message to Mr Burki’s family expressing their condolences and grief over the journalist’s death.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, also expressed sorrow over Mr Burki’s death.