KARACHI: Senior journalist and former assistant editor Dawn Abul Hasanat passed away after a brief illness on Saturday.

He was 69.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Born in Karachi in November 1950, Mr Hasanat was one of five sons of Abul Akhyar, a veteran journalist who passed away in September 2010.

During his student life, Mr Hasanat was an active member of the National Students Federation. His longtime friend Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, former chairman of the department of mass communication of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences & Technology, remembered Mr Hasanat once telling him about his arrest during the movement against the dictatorial rule of General Ayub Khan. The arrest took place when Mr Hasanat was a student of Government College For Men, Nazimabad.

After graduating from the University of Karachi in 1973, Mr Hasanat joined the profession and stayed in it till his death.

His last association was with Express Tribune as its editorial consultant. In a career spanning over four decades, Mr Hasanat worked for Morning News and Leader before going to join Saudi Gazette. His longest association remained with Dawn where he served from 1995 to 2010 and retired as its assistant editor.

His funeral prayers will be held on Sunday (today) after Zuhr prayers at Jama Masjid Khairul Bashar in Block J of North Nazimabad near Sakhi Hasan graveyard.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2019