Sethi is first Asian who has won three IPFA

Lahore: Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister, Najam Sethi is known as a prominent and neutral journalist, columnist and anchor person at the international as well as a local level. Najam Aziz Sethi was educated at Government College Lahore where he topped Punjab University in BA and was awarded President’s Gold Medal in 1967. He took his MA from Clare College, Cambridge University UK where he topped the Honours list with Davies Prize in Economics. In 2010, he was elected as Alumnus of the Year by Clare College Cambridge University UK and appointed Eric Lane Fellow of Clare College where he lectured in 2011.

He is Pakistan’s most decorated independent journalist, with three international press freedom awards – Courage in Journalism Award from Amnesty International in 1999, Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists, New York, 1999, and the Golden Pen for Freedom from the World Association of Newspapers. In 2010, he was awarded Hilal i Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.

He was Founder-Editor in Chief of The Daily Times and Daily Aajkal (2001-2009) and remains Founding Chief Editor of The Friday Times. In 2011, he was appointed GEO/Jang Group Advisor. His TV program Aapas Ki Baat on Geo TV is among the top rated independent political talk-shows of the country. He is Chairman of the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association and the Chairman of the Afro-Asia Book Council. He has served as Vice-President of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors. His publishing company, Vanguard Books, is among the leading book publishers/distributors of Pakistan.

Najam Sethi was a member of the Caretaker Government of Pakistan from 1996-97. He has championed the cause of human rights and democracy and was imprisoned for his independent beliefs in 1975, 1984 and 1999.