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 standing up to Dictator Ziaul Haq’s high-handedness in dealing with media rights and freedom.

The four were produced before a summary military court headed by a young major and within minutes, he had not only completed his summary proceeding, but sentenced the journalists to imprisonment and flogging.
Within one hour of passing the sentence the four were flogged. Taken to the Kot Lakhpat Jail, each man was stripped to his waist, spreadeagled and lashed five times with a yard of plaited leather thong dipped in oil.

"After the sentence was carried out, I was given the option of being taken out on a stretcher but I rejected it, preferring to show my captors my spirit could not be broken,” said Zaidi.

All four were then taken to hospital in chains and manacled to their hospital beds. Zaidi and his three fellow journalists were declared Prisoners of Conscience by Amnesty International.

That was more than 33 years ago and the story has become the stuff of legends. Zaidi and his group stood up for media freedom. They were unyieldingly brave and dedicated and they are remembered and revered to this day.

Zaidi, who has been associated with The News, Islamabad is greatly respected for his bravery which serves as an example for the new generation of media.

His integrity is such he is regularly asked by journalist bodies like the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and the Press Club to conduct their elections. – JournalismPakistan.com

Back

Mushahid Hussain Sayed

Mushahid Hussain Sayed has the distinction of becoming the youngest editor of a national English daily The Muslim (now defunct). He achieved this honor at the age of 29 in 1982.

Khalid Hasan (1935-2009)

Khalid Hasan was a senior Pakistani journalist and writer. He was born in Srinagar, Kashmir. He was the brother in law of the first elected president of Azad Jammu & Kashmir K H Khurshid, private secretary

Majeed Lahori (1913-1957)

Majeed Lahori, born Abdul Majid Chohan in 1913 in Gujrat, was truly a people's columnist, according to Khalid Hasan, adding what he wrote remains as delightful today as it was then.

Zafar Iqbal Mirza

In the preface of Last Man, a compilation of his columns, Zafar Iqbal Mirza remembers his more than 42 years in journalism as "well and truly through the mill." His Lahori columns are a window

Imtiaz Sipra (1938-2001)

White hair flying with the first touch of air, drooping moustache pure silver with a touch of brown in the middle - brown due to burnt hair because of excessive smoking, Imtiaz Sipra was a phenomenal writer.

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

Saleem Asmi

Beginning his journalistic career in 1959, Saleem Asmi joined The Times of Karachi as a sub-editor. Like most journalists from his era, he became part of The Pakistan Times, becoming the newspaper's city editor.

Muhammad Ziauddin (1938-2021)

Muhammad Ziauddin, renowned as a capable and fiercely independent journalist, left a lasting legacy spanning over five decades. Known respectfully as Ziauddin Sahab, he was regarded as one of the last legendary journalists in Pakistan.

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.