Renowned journalist and former caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Postal Service Arif Nizami passed away on Wednesday in Lahore, his nephew, Babar Nizami informed.
The veteran journalist was under treatment at a hospital for the last two weeks after he had suffered from a heart attack. After the attack, he was shifted to an ICU, but he could not recover from it and breathed his last today, Babar said.
He had served as a caretaker federal minister in former caretaker prime minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso’s cabinet in 2013.
He was the son of Hameed Nizami, the founder of Nawa-i-Waqt Group of newspapers.
Nizami was the president of Concil of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and the chief editor at Pakistan Today. Members of the CPNE expressed profound grief on the passing of their president.
The details of his funeral prayers will be informed later on.
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.”
Saddened to learn of the passing of veteran journalist, editor and political commentator Arif Nizami. My condolences and prayers go to his family.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 21, 2021
“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.
معروف صحافی اور پبلشر عارف نظامی صاحب کی رحلت پرانتہائی دکھ ہوا۔
نوائے وقت گروپ کے نظامی خاندان سے پانچ دہائیوں سے ایک ذاتی تعلق ہے۔
عارف نظامی صاحب کی رحلت میرے لئے کسی بھی ذاتی نقصان سے کم نہیں۔
اللہ تعالیٰ مرحوم کو غریق رحمت کرے۔ ان کے لواحقین کو صبر جمیل عطا کرے۔
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) July 21, 2021
“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.”
عارف نظامی صاحب کی رحلت کا سن کر دل بجھ گیا ہے، ان سے طویل تعلق تھا، تحریک پاکستان میں ان کے والد حمید نظامی اور میرے دادا چوہدری اویس اور تایا چوہدری الطاف حسین ہمسفر تھے اسی تعلق سے ان سے وہی تعلق رہا جو خاندان کے بزرگوں سے ہوتا ہے خدا غریق رحمت کرے pic.twitter.com/AnUJFpUflZ
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) July 21, 2021
“He was just like a family elder for me,” he added.
