PESHAWAR: Senior journalist, founder and editor-in-chief of Pashto daily Wahdat Pir Syed Sufaid Shah Hamdard breathed his last at a private hospital, doctors and family sources confirmed here on Tuesday.

He was suffering from multiple health complications and was admitted three weeks ago to a private hospital. His funeral prayers will be offered Wednesday (today) on Kanal Shami Road opposite to his residence near Warsak Road. He left behind five sons and scores of grandsons to mourn his death.

Governor Shah Farman has concluded with the family of Pir Sufaid Shah over his death and billed his demise as an irreparable loss to Pashto journalism and the country at large.

The Pashto and Urdu literary organisations have also expressed grief over the sad demise of the nonagenarian journo and condoled with his family members. He had large fans following both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He served as active member of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and also remained as convener of its provincial committee besides serving on other central positions.

He was recipient of the prestigious awards including life achievements award of APNS, CPNS, President’s Pride of Performance award, Tamgh-i- Imtiaz, Afghan President’s award and numerous other laurels for his contribution to journalism and Pashto literature.

Born in 1930 in Kagawala village near Peshawar, Pir Sufaid Shah started his career as reporter and then switched over to contributing features and columns to different Urdu and Pashto newspapers and literary magazines. His journalistic services spanned over seven decades.

The 1970s proved a big landmark in Pir Sufaid Shah’s career because he founded a comprehensive Pashto newspaper Wahdat, which groomed up many Pashto reporters and encouraged poets and writers and also created space for millions of Afghan refugees to raise their voice, especially during the Afghan war.

Endowed with many good qualities, Pir Sufaid Shah enjoyed a respectable place among, journalistic, literary and spiritual circles owing to his unassuming nature and large heartedness.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2020