KARACHI, March 21: Leaders from a cross-section of people have mourned the death of late S.H. Hashmi, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Advertising Association and managing director of Orient McCann Ericson Advertising Company, and paid rich tributes to his services to the advertising industry.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said that S.H. Hashmi was a big name in the world of advertising that had brought advertising sector in harmony with the modern needs.

The Arts Council of Pakistan announced three-day mourning for late Hashmi and all its programmes scheduled for Tuesday were cancelled.

According to a press release, with the reaching of news of demise of Mr Hashmi on Monday, the Arts Council cancelled its ongoing Mushaira immediately and the gathering turned into a condolence meeting.

A condolence meeting was held on Tuesday at the KU with Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim in the chair. The meeting was attended by the pro-vice-chancellor, all deans, teachers and members of the syndicate.

FUUAST Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqbal Mohsin in his condolence statement said that Mr Hashmi was a personality of many qualities, who took the advertising industry to its peak.

The chairman of Pakistan Academy of Letters, Iftikhar Arif, said Mr Hashmi’s services to Urdu literature and journalism would always be remembered.

The academy’s Sindh chapter Resident Director Agha Noor Mohammad Pathan on Tuesday held a condolence meeting in his office, where tributes were paid to late Hashmi for his services.

A condolence meeting of advocates held at the residence of Mohammad Nadeem Shaikh advocate, paid tributes to late Hashmi. In a resolution, adopted on the occasion, the meeting appealed the city nazim to name an important road after Mr Hashmi.

Jamaat-i-Islami leaders Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui and others also paid tributes and condoled the death of Mr Hashmi.

Karachi Union of Journalists President Ayub Jan Sarhindi, Gen Secretary Javed Asghar Chaudhry and others also paid tributes to late Hashmi.

SITE Super Highway Association of Industry office-bearers also condoled the death of late Hashmi.

The Radio Pakistan will broadcast a special programme on the life and achievements of late S.H. Hashmi on March 22, at 1630 hrs, add agencies.

Federal ministers Babar Ghouri and Owais Ahmed Leghari, MNA Farooq Ahmed Leghari, provincial ministers Dr Hamida Khuhro and Adil Siddiqui, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and others paid rich tributes to late S.H. Hashmi and expressed deep sorrow over his demise.