KARACHI, March 13: Mr Ahmad Ali Khan, the former chief editor of daily Dawn, passed away on Tuesday morning at a local hospital after a protracted illness. He was 83. He left behind his wife, short story writer Hajra Masroor, daughters Naveed Ahmad Tahir and Nausheen Ahmad, three grandchildren and a great grandchild.

He was laid to rest at the Defence graveyard. Namaz-i-Janaza was offered at Sultan Masjid, in Defence Housing Authority.

Born in 1924 in Bhopal (India), Ahmad Ali Khan started his journalistic career in 1945 in Bhopal with ‘Tarjuman’. With Dawn, his association began in Delhi in 1946 and ended in Karachi in 2004. He also served as editor of the Pakistan Times, Lahore, in between.

He was with Dawn for nearly 42 years — 28 of them as editor/chief editor — while his journalistic career spanned five decades.

Family sources said the two daughters of the veteran journalist were with him when he breathed his last at 9.15am at the Park Lane Hospital, Clifton.

They said Khan Saab, as he was known to colleagues and admirers, was suffering from cardiac and respiratory complications. He had been admitted to the hospital on Feb 17 after his condition deteriorated.

The family said one of his daughters had arrived in the city a couple of weeks ago from abroad in view of his precarious health.

Khan Saab commanded the highest respect from colleagues and friends as he was an embodiment of integrity, graciousness and professional excellence.

A large number of people from different walks of life, including editors and senior journalists, attended the funeral of the octogenarian journalist. Among them were: Dr Adeeb Rizvi, Dr Pirzada Qasim, vice-chancellor of Karachi University; Mehmood Sham, editor of Jang; Jamil Jalibi, former VC of Karachi University; Sardar Rahim, a PML (N) leader, Zafar Iqbal, president of Defence Residents Society; Nawab Saeed Hasan Khan, Nusrat Hussain, Tasneem Siddiqui, Mazhar Abbas and Hameed Haroon.

Soyem will be held on Wednesday between Asar and Maghrib prayers at Sultan Masjid for men, and at 60-A, 14th Street, Khayaban-i-Mujahid, Phase V, DHA, for women.

Our staff correspondent in Quetta adds: Politicians, businessmen and journalists condoled the death of Ahmad Ali Khan and paid tributes to him for his efforts to foster professionalism among journalists.