KARACHI: Rafique Jalal, the deputy news editor of Dawn, passed away early on Sunday morning after a brief illness. He was 65.

His funeral was held at a local mosque, which was attended by his colleagues and relatives, after which he was laid to rest at the Mohammad Shah graveyard. The Soyem will be held at his residence in Saima Arabian Villas today (Monday).

Mr Jalal is survived by his widow and five children.

A key member of Dawn’s newsroom since 1992, Mr Jalal began his journalistic career from the daily Sindh Guardian in his native Hyderabad, his long-time colleague Mohammad Hussain Khan recalled. He moved to Karachi in the mid-1990s, where he joined Dawn as a sub-editor.

He then rose among the ranks to become a shift incharge, and was eventually designated as the deputy news editor in 2022.

Mr Jalal was extremely well-respected among media circles for his wealth of experience. His affable nature and professional conduct endeared him to his colleagues.

As one of the most senior members of the Dawn newsroom, Mr Jalal also mentored many budding journalists. He served as a bridge, helping new generation of editors navigate the ever-changing media landscape while relaying lessons learned from past editors.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2025