KARACHI, Aug 5: Tributes were paid to intellectual and broadcaster, Siddique Arshad, at a condolence meeting held at the Arts Council on Thursday.

The speakers at the meeting, which was arranged by the Adabi Mehfil, Provincial Ombudsman Secretariat, stressed the need to publish the manuscripts left by Siddique Arshad, who died on July 27.

The deceased also participated in some popular programmes of the PTV in its early years. Tracing his association with Mr Arshad, the Sindh Ombudsman, Yousuf Jamal, said that he became familiar with him during intercollegiate debates in 1956 or 1957.

He was a great and nice person in all respect, he added, saying that he was a reliable source of knowledge and awareness on contemporary as well as past issues, philosophies and literature.

Mr Arshad always believed in accommodating others views, and never resorted to giving any value judgment, said Mr Jamal, adding he never condemned any person or movement, but preferred to hear and value others views as well.

Fatehyab Ali Khan said that Mr Arshad was a man of unassuming personality, who worked for social justice till his last days. He was highly regarded by his friends. Broadcaster Obaidullah Beg said that he was among the pioneers of the Pakistan Televisions, who worked for making the television programmes more acceptable, civilized and respectable.

Mumtaz Saeed said that Mr Arshad was an intellectual, who could talk on every subject and philosophy irrespective of his progressive mind set. Rafiq Anjum offered a poetic tribute to him and said that he was equally proficient in English, Urdu and Persian literature. Hassan Rizvi and Sarwar Javed also spoke on the occasion.