LAHORE: Syed Mehdi Haider, senior sub-editor in Dawn Lahore, died of liver cancer in Karachi on Sunday. He was 53.

He joined Dawn’s Reading Section in October 1990 when the newspaper started publishing its late night edition ‘Section 2’ from Lahore. He moved to the newsroom in the late 1990s.

His funeral prayer was held at Imambargah Ancholi Shuhada-i-Karbala after which he was laid to rest at Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard. He has left behind wife, a son and a daughter.

It was a sombre day in Dawn’s Lahore Newsroom which lost a dedicated journalist and an affable colleague. Mehdi Haider had been an integral part of the newsroom for almost two decades. Besides being hardworking and thoroughly professional, he won the hearts of his colleagues, especially the younger ones, because of his charming personality and eagerness to share his knowledge on different subjects. His friends and colleagues can vouchsafe for the fact that he had immense qualities and, though reticent, his presence had a charm of its own.

Mehdi Sahib, as he was affectionately known, was a sports buff and he not only enjoyed watching cricket, football and other games but also played all these games. He played cricket for Dawn’s team and being an excellent batsman, led it to victory many a time. He also excelled in badminton – something his colleagues came to know when the newspaper organised a tournament many moons ago. His knowledge of cricket was appreciable.

Mehdi Sahib had been unwell for the last few months but he fought the ailment with aplomb. He remained under treatment for the last few days at Karachi’s Ziauddin Hospital, where he breathed his last on Sunday morning. Today he is no more among us but his words and winsome smile live on.

Dawn’s Reporting Section, Reading Section, page designers and correspondents offered their condolence.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017