LAHORE, Jan 25: Journalist Zafaryab Ahmad died of cardiac arrest here on Wednesday. He was 53. Mr Zafaryab, during his career as journalist, had served the daily Dawn, weekly Viewpoint and daily The Frontier Post. He also edited the first Punjabi newspaper of the country, Sajjan, in 1990.

He was given the CJFE Press Freedom International Award in 1999 in Toronto, Canada, for his meritorious services to journalism.

During his short stint as teacher after doing his masters in Political Science from the Punjab University, Mr Zafaryab taught at the Faisalabad Agriculture University, Atchison College and the Administrative Staff College.

He also served the Sustainable Development Institute of Pakistan and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research for short period.

Mr Zafaryab remained a trade unionist and political activist most of his life. He also played an active role in the campaign against Ayub Khan’s martial law as a student leader.

He went to the US in the late 90s after the government booked him on sedition charges for raising his voice for children working in the carpet industry. He lived in the US till the end of 2005.

He returned to Pakistan some two months back and was suffering from liver and respiratory problems. Though he survived liver and respiratory problems, Wednesday’s heart attack proved fatal.

His funeral procession will be taken out from 200-Raza Block, Allama Iqbal Town, at 4pm on Thursday (today).