KARACHI: Senior journalist and deputy editor of Jang Mudassir Mirza passed away on Saturday. He was 70.

According to his friends and family, he suffered a heart attack and died at his Gulshan-i-Iqbal residence.

He is survived by his widow, a son and daughter.

The general secretary of a faction of the Karachi Union of Journalists, Fahim Siddiqi, said that Mr Mirza was found dead at his bed. He was home alone as his family had gone to Islamabad to attend a wedding.

His friends said Mr Mirza, who was the chairman of the Jang editorial board, had left his office for home on Friday night. On Saturday morning, his son phoned him but he did not respond.

He then called a neighbour who entered the house and found him dead. He was lying on the bed wearing the eye glasses with cell phone on the chest. He was taken to a hospital where doctors said he died of heart attack around eight-10 hours ago.

Senior journalist and his former colleague Shahid Jatoi said that Mr Mirza had remained active in student politics during his student days at the University of Karachi. He was associated with the National Students Federation (NSF) and Democratic Students Federation (DSF). He remained associated with Jang for over four decades.

Mr Jatoi recalled him as an honest and thorough professional.

His funeral prayer would be held on Sunday (today) after Zuhar at Jamia Masjid Fahim near Wasim Bagh, Sehba Akhtar Road in 13-D/2, Gulshan-i-Iqbal. He would be laid to rest at Sakhi Hasan graveyard in North Nazimabad.

Published in Dawn, january 1st, 2023