KARACHI, Oct 22: Noted science journalist responsible for making science popular in Pakistan Azmat Ali Khan passed away on Sunday. He was 81.

Mr Khan was the founder of Bazm-i-Saa’insi Adab, a literary organisation in which scientists and scientific professionals from a broad spectrum presents current research in the form of poems, haikus and other literary forms.

Born on July 6, 1931, in Rampur (India), he graduated from Aligarh University in 1954 and migrated to Pakistan the same year. He joined Urdu Science College in Karachi.

In 1959, the first national science fair was held in Karachi and Mr Khan was the key organiser of the event. In 1964, he was appointed editor of a popular science magazine, Karwan-i-Science, in Urdu launched by the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).

Mr Khan also served at the Scientific Information Centre of the PSCIR.

To promote science culture in the country, he remained associated with the Scientific Society launched by Major Aftab Hassan in Karachi University.

In 1993, the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan offered managing editorship of their research journal to Mr Khan.