HYDERABAD, Aug 7: Former general manager of PTV Karachi, Abdul Karim Baloch, was laid to rest in his ancestral Abdullah D. Baloch graveyard in Kotri, on Thursday.

The 70-year-old ex-television official died at the Liaquat National Hospital Karachi on Wednesday following kidney problem where he remained under treatment for about a month.

He left behind wife, six sons and two daughters to mourn his death among thousands of well wishers.

The funeral was attended among others by Tajdar Adil, Shahbaz Durrani, Sultana Siddiqui and others.

Abdul Karim Baloch was born in 1938 in Karachi’s Baghdadi area, but settled in Yusuf Baloch village in Kotri with his family. Mr Baloch studied in Sher Dil High School, Kotri while completed post graduation in Sindhi literature from the University of Sindh.

His career began from Radio Pakistan Hyderabad in 1955 and joined PTV in 1966 as first Sindhi producer. He remained associated with PTV as the general manager for a long time. He also remained associated with the Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta centres.

He introduced great artistes like Noor Mohammad Lashari, Shafi Mohammad Shah, Anwar Solangi and Gulab Chandio, besides producing Neelam Ghar and Kasauti.

Abdul Karim Baloch retired in 1999, while in 2007 President Gen Pervez Musharraf conferred best performance award on him.

He was elected in local bodies’ polls in 2001 from Nago Lane union council but soon dissociated himself from it as it was not compatible with his nature. His paternal nephew was an elected nazim from this UC.

He was the brother of known TV and film artist Abdul Latif alias Saqi.

Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palejo, Senior Sindh Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Information Minister Shazia Mari and Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party Chairman DrQadir Magsi offered their condolence on his demise.