ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Veteran journalist and a former director- general of Associated Press of Pakistan, Aslam Sheikh, died here on Wednesday after a protracted illness, aged 71. He leaves behind a wife, a son and two daughters.

He was buried at the Islamabad Graveyard after largely- attended funeral prayers at a ground near his home in Islamabad’s F-11/1 sector. Those present at the funeral included journalists, information secretary Anwar Mahmood, politicians and old colleagues, including former PFUJ presidents Asrar Ahmed, Safdar Ali Qureshi and Minhaj Barna.

The late Aslam Sheikh was suffering from liver cancer for the last three years. He was admitted to the KRL Hospital on December 4 when his condition deteriorated, family sources said.

Aslam Sheikh dis his masters in economics from Gordon College, Rawalpindi and started his journalistic career in the 1950s with the APP which he left in 1955 for a long stint with The Pakistan Times, for which he worked as a special correspondent in New Delhi and London.

He rejoined the APP as its director-general in 1989 but resigned after the first government of then prime minister Benazir Bhutto was removed in 1990.

He also worked for the Dubai-based newspaper, Khaleej Times and with China Pictorial in Beijing from 1990-93. He came back to Pakistan and joined The News as its commerce editor.

He was among the pioneers of economic journalism in Pakistan and also off and on worked with The Muslim from 1981- 90.

Mr Sheikh contributed columns for various newspapers including Dawn and The News.

In the last years of his life, Aslam Sheikh had been writing his memoirs under the title of A Journalist Looks Back.

He participated in the struggle for the cause of journalists and the freedom of press for which he also suffered jail in Lahore and Mianwali during Ayub and Zia eras.

The Qul ceremony for Mr Sheikh will be held at his residence, House No.257, Street 77, sector F-11/1, on Friday after Friday prayers.