Abbas Ather passes away

Lahore: Renowned journalist and columnist Syed Abbas Ather passed away after protracted illness here in Lahore the wee hours of Monday was laid to rest in Graveyard in Lahore .

Prominent journalists editors and columnist attended his Namz-i-Jianza including Dr Majeed Nizami Editor in Chief of Daily Nawa-i-Waqt, Mujib-ur-Rahman Shami Editor Daily Pakistan,Orya Maqbool Jan ,Atta ul Haq Qasmi , Munoo bhai , Owner of Capital TV former Deputy Director FIA Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, owner of Dunya TV Mian Amir Mahmood ,Editor City42 Naveed Chaudery, Editor Dunya Salman Ghani, former editor Jang Athar Masood ,Intezar Hussain , PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badr , LeT Yahya Mujahid Editor Daily Naibaat Ata ur Rahman ,president lahore press club Arshad Ansari,Secretary LPC Shahbaz Mian,Bureau Chief Waqt News Munawar Butt,Chief Reporter Nawai waqt Khawaja Furrukh Saeed etc.

It should be mentioned that veteran journalist, Syed Abbas Athar was suffering from cancer ailment since a long time and hospitalized in Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore for the treatment.
After long-suffering of cancer ailment and treatment at hospital, Syed Abbas Athar breathed his last in CMH Lahore.
He was well known columnist and used to write his columns under title of ‘Kankrian’ in leading newspaper of the country including Daily Nawa-i-Waqt and Daily Express.

The veteran journalist in 1970 through his headline in a newspaper “Idhar hum udhar tum” got popularity and was also awarded pride of performance for his services for journalism.

Syed Abbas Abbas was also a respected critic and current affairs analyst on Express TV channel and liked by a large number of viewers.
Journalist community will remember Syed Ather Abbas, for his services as a senior journalist in the media. He had left behind two wives, three daughters and two sons.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Mir Hazar Jan Khoso,Mian Nawaz Sharif,Ch Shujaat Hussain,Ch Pervaiz Elahi,CM Punjab leaders of various political parties, journalist organizations all over the country expressed heartfelt grief over the death of Abbas Ather . They termed his death as irreparable loss for media and prayed for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace.
Provincial Secretary for Information & Culture and Director General Public Relations Punjab and officers of Directorate General Public Relations have expressed their deep sense of sorrow and grief on the death of senior journalist Abbas Athar. A condolence meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Secretary Information & Culture, Amjad Hussain, which was attended by Additional Secretary Information and Culture Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani and the officers and the officials of the DGPR. While addressing the meeting Secretary Information & DGPR Amjad Hussain said that Syed Abbas Athar devoted his whole life for journalism and also faced imprisonment. He said, every journalist of Lahore has benefitted from the experiences and guidance of late Abbas Athar. He said that late Abbas Athar has introduced new trends in the field of journalism and the people associated with journalism will remember him forever.

Later, fateha was offered for the departed soul of Syed Abbas Athar.

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Ch. Zaka Ashraf, Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad and Director General Javed Miandad offered their heartfelt condolences over the sad demise of veteran journalist Mr Abbas Athar. Mr Abbas Athar, who fell to cancer, was Group Editor of Daily Express and a leading vernacular columnist for years.

“Abbas Athar was a renowned journalist and columnist of the late 1960s vintage. His death will not just be mourned by the journalistic fraternity but across all walks of life in this country”, said Ch. Zaka Ashraf while condoling on his death.

“The PCB hierarchy and its entire staff pray to Almighty to bestow the departed soul with eternal peace and grant the family and the dear ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”, said the PCB spokesman.