KARACHI: Haji Abdul Razzak Yaqoob, founder of the ARY Group, died in London on Friday after a protracted illness, family sources said. He was 69.

Better known as ARY, Haji Yaqoob was born in Indian city of Surat on May 7, 1944.

He moved to the UAE in the 1960s and started gold business with an outlet in Dubai.

He founded the ARY Group in 1972. The group ventured into media industry in 2000 when it launched a private television channel — ARY Digital — and later a full-fledged news channel known as ARY News and a music channel.

Haji Yaqoob was co-accused in the notorious ‘ARY Gold Reference Case’ with former president Asif Ali Zardari.

He is survived by his wife and five daughters.

His family said arrangements had been made to bring his body to Karachi through a chartered plane on Saturday for burial.