Media Release: Pakistan
August 9, 2013
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and partners in the South Asia Media Solidarity
Network (SAMSN) join colleagues in the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
(PFUJ) in expressing deep grief at the passing of I.H. Rashid, veteran leader
of the country’s journalists and courageous campaigner for press freedom and
journalists’ rights.
Rashid died
in the city of Lahore on August 8 after a brief illness.
Rashid had
served three terms as president of the PFUJ, an IFJ affiliate and Pakistan’s
largest representative body of journalists, with its footprint in all provinces
and regions of the country. He was jailed for one year in 1978 during the
Zia-ul Haq military dictatorship for participating in the countrywide movement
for press freedom.
PFUJ
President Pervaiz Shaukat and Secretary-General Amin Yousaf have expressed
their grief over Rashid’s passing.
Aside from
his courageous leadership of the movement against military repression of the
press, Rashid was also remembered for his active participation in the wage
board process, to obtain a fair deal for Pakistan’s journalists.
Rashid began
his career in journalism in 1951. He served as chief reporter for the Pakistan
Times and later as bureau chief for Dawn. He continued writing for Dawn even
after retirement.
The IFJ and
SAMSN join the PFUJ in paying homage to Rashid’s lifelong commitment to
democratic values and press freedom.
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
Find
the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific
Find
the IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific