LAHORE: Veteran journalist and former caretaker federal minister for information and postal service Arif Nizami passed away on Wednesday in Lahore, his nephew, Babar Nizami, told media.
The veteran journalist was under treatment at a hospital for the last two weeks after he had suffered a heart attack. Following the attack, he was shifted to an ICU, but he could not recover from it and breathed his last today, Babar said.
Nizami had served as a caretaker federal minister in former caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso’s cabinet back in 2013. He was also associated with The Nation before he launched his own newspaper Pakistan Today.
He was the son of Hameed Nizami, the founder Nawa-i-Waqt Group of newspapers.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, reacting to the journalist’s death, said: “Saddened to learn of the passing of veteran journalist, editor, and political commentator Arif Nizami.”
“My condolences and prayers go to his family,” he added.
Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said he was saddened to hear about Nizami’s demise, adding that it was a “personal loss” for him.
“May Allah have mercy on the deceased,” he added.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said he had a long relationship with Nizami. “His father and my grandfather struggled together for Pakistan.” APP
