Hameed Nizami (1915-1962)

Hameed Nizami was an eminent journalist. He was the founder of the Urdu newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt, and played an important role in the Pakistan Movement.

He was born on October 3, 1915 at Sangla Hill, a small railway junction not far from Faisalabad. He received his early education here and did his Master's in English from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. He was a self-made man and his early life was a great struggle.

While still a student at Islamia College, Lahore, he founded, along with others, the Punjab Muslim Students Federation and became its first elected president. Due to his dynamic role as a student leader, he came close to the Quaid-i-Azam and remained an ardent follower of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League; first as a student leader and later as a journalist.

After attaining his degree, he chose journalism as his career and worked for a short time in the press branch of the Punjab Government. After receiving training under a scheme sponsored by the Punjab Government, he also worked for some time on the staff of National Congress, an Urdu daily started by Dr Satyapal, who represented the liberal wing of the Provincial Congress.

Thereafter, he became the manager of Lahore office of the Orient News Agency and used the resources there for the projection of the League point of view and for helping the cause of Pakistan.

The year 1940 was something of a landmark in the life of Nizami when he launched his fortnightly paper called Nawa-i-Waqt from Lahore on March 23, 1940.

He was elected President of the Punjab Muslim Student’s Federations for the second time in 1942. He was able to convert his fortnightly Nawa-i-Waqt into a weekly on December 15, 1942. In July 1944 it was converted into a daily paper.

The daily Nawa-i-Waqt came out on July 22, 1944 with a prayer and a message of the Quaid-i-Azam. Nizami made Nawa-i-Waqt with all its limitations a powerful newspaper for the cause of Muslim League and the Pakistan Movement.

He was a clear headed, methodical and devoted journalist. With these qualities he made himself a legend. He rendered a lofty service for the cause of Pakistan during the entire period of Pakistan Movement and, later, for the stability of Pakistan. He was a strong spokesman of democracy in the country.

The first Martial Law of 1958 greatly hurt him that proved fatal for his life and he departed in February 1962.

Source: Wikipedia

Back

Ayaz Amir

A prominent print and television journalist, columnist, political analyst, and commentator, Ayaz Amir became known for his weekly columns in Daily Dawn. He started writing for Dawn during the government of Ziaul Haq

Zafaryab Ahmad (1953-2006)

Zafaryab Ahmad (1953-2006) was a journalist who made a name for himself as a trade unionist and a political activist. He worked in the dailies Dawn and the Frontier Post and the weekly Viewpoint.

Khalid Akhtar (1935-2005)

Khalid Akhtar was a senior journalist who started his career in 1973 as a Sub-Editor and Editorial Writer with The New Times. He worked with The Muslim in Islamabad as its Executive Editor

Omar Kureishi (1928-2005)

Omar Kureishi was a distinguished Pakistani writer. He worked in advertising, aviation and journalism, writing for many newspapers, including Dawn, The Pakistan Times, Morning News and The Guardian, London.

I A Rehman

A senior journalist and human rights activist, I A Rehman is known for his outspoken views. He served as editor-in-chief of The Pakistan Times from 1989-90. Since 1990 he has been serving as a director

Nasir Zaidi

On May 13, 1978, four journalists courted arrest at the offices of Musawaat, among them was Nasir Zaidi, a quiet, unassuming and physically frail individual. They were driven away in chains for

Anjum Niaz (1948-2018)

Before joining journalism, Anjum Niaz taught at the Karachi American School and Pakistan American Council. A master's in English Literature from the Punjab University, she joined the

Aslam Azhar (1932-2015)

Born on 2 September 1932, Aslam Azhar is remembered as the founding father of Pakistan Television. After earning a law degree from Cambridge University, he chose not to pursue a legal career but instead immersed himself in the world of performing arts.

Newsroom

Pele to Messi: How World Cup finals wrote football's greatest story

June 15, 2026 From Pele to Messi, World Cup finals shaped football's global story, tracing triumphs and heartbreaks and showing how the game became a shared language.

Press freedom review: From jail cells to cyberspace, threats to journalists multiply

June 14, 2026 Press freedom faces mounting challenges worldwide as journalists confront arrests, legal pressure, cyberattacks, online harassment, deportations, and reporting restrictions across multiple countries.

The right to know: Comparing access-to-information laws across Asia

June 14, 2026 Across Asia, RTI laws range from effective tools for journalism and accountability to paper laws weakened by bureaucracy, broad exemptions and poor enforcement.

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): How journalists verify information in the digital age

June 14, 2026 OSINT helps journalists verify social media, photos, videos, maps and public records to improve reporting accuracy and detect misinformation.

Ethiopia expels French journalist after Tigray reporting

June 13, 2026 Ethiopia expelled French reporter A. Passilly after Tigray reporting, drawing criticism from press groups as retaliatory and damaging to press freedom.