ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: First correspondent of Dawn, Rawalpindi, Khursheedul Hassan died of liver cancer at his residence here on Tuesday. He was 75.

He was buried at Islamabad Graveyard. His Qul will be held at his residence on Thursday.

The late Hassan has left behind a widow, two sons and three daughters. However, one of his daughters died in Canada a few years ago.

Mr Hassan was suffering from liver cancer for the last three years and he had gone to Dublin for treatment immediately after the disease was diagnosed.

He was treated at home for three years but his condition deteriorated in the last days confining him to bed for over one month, deceased’s son Javed told Dawn.

The deceased had four brothers including two in India and four sisters who are also stated to be at Lakhnow, Aligarh and Merath, India.

Born in 1927 in India, Mr Hassan started his early education from Anglo Arabic School and College, Delhi. He did his Master’s in English from the same college.

Mr Hassan was stated to be an active members of Muslim Student Federation (MSF) in India and took part in Pakistan movement. After completing education, he also worked with an English newspaper ‘Guardian’ for some time.

He came to Pakistan in 1947 and first settled at Model Town Lahore. Earlier, he served for Radio Pakistan for several years. Later, he joined Pakistan Times and remained associated with it for many years.

He also joined Dawn and went to Karachi in connection with his job. Former editor Dawn Altaf Hussain posted him in Islamabad as first bureau chief of Dawn Islamabad-Rawalpindi in early 60’s.

In early 70’s he left Dawn and started his own business by setting up a printing press (Khursheed Printers) in Sector G-6.

“Khursheedul Hassan was a brave journalist and never compromised on his principles,” Dr S M Qureshi, former ambassador and a close friend of the deceased, told Dawn.

He quoted remarks of former president General Ayub Khan about the deceased as saying,”Though you always give anti- government news, what can I do; you are always right.”

“He was my darling friend and a start reporter. Simultaneously, he was a chain smoker as a result of which he suffered from liver cancer,” Dr Qureshi said.