KARACHI, Dec 20: Distinguished journalist and a senior Dawn staffer M.A. Majid passed away after a prolonged illness here on Thursday. He was 79. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

M.A. Majid was born in Sylhet, a city in northeast Bangladesh (then part of India) on March 4, 1933. He did his bachelors in arts from Islamia College Karachi in 1956.

He was proficient in the Bengali, Urdu and English languages. He joined Dawn on July 1, 1955 as an assistant editor and worked for the newspaper for nearly 53 years and retired on March 31, 2008 as editor of the leader page.

He was considered one of the most efficient op-ed editors in the history of Pakistani journalism and was widely respected in the journalist fraternity, especially among eminent columnists such as Ardeshir Cowasjee whose articles he edited.

M.A. Majid also wrote insightful editorials and opinion pieces on a variety of subjects.

His namaz-i-janaza will be held at Sultan Masjid after Friday prayers and he will be buried at the Gizri graveyard.