# Muhammad Ziauddin

Muhammad Ziauddin (Urdu: محمد ضیاء الدین; 1938 – 29 November 2021) was a Pakistani journalist, economist and historian.

## Biography

He was born in 1938 in Madras, British India. He got his BSc in Pharmacy from the University of Dhaka and a master's degree in journalism from University of Karachi in 1964. He worked for Pakistan Economist, Morning News, The Muslim, Dawn, The News International and The Express Tribune. "His career spanned five newspapers over sixty years", According to a major Pakistani TV news channel.
He had also served as president of South Asia Free Media Association from 2002 to 2006.
Reportedly, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto would often call Ziauddin for his advice on economic issues facing Pakistan.

## Death and legacy

He died on 29 November 2021 at his residence in Islamabad.
One of his fellow journalists, Qaiser Butt, paid him his tribute by saying that he used to write balanced and objective articles.
FORMER PRO SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN, Major Khalid Bilal (Retd.). Narrates his journalistic honesty: Once I was a PRO to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Supreme Court was facing problems in getting coverage of its activities in the daily DAWN. This was the peak time of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Ch. I was conveyed by the Registrar, Dr. Faqir Khokhar that CJP desires that PRO should visit DAWN offices at Zero Point & ask them to carry the new items of the Supreme Court. I hesitantly called & coordinated with the beat reporter and reached the DAWN offices. I was about to start when a very impressive person entered & with the reporter, I also left my chair as a token of respect. The beat reported introduced him & asked me to go along to his office. He offered me a cup of tea & asked me the reason for my visit, that he was probably, aware of. He told me that he always clears a news item for publication in the largest interest of the public, & only if it is worth publication purely on merit. He asked me, would you convey Chief Justice if I give you a message? I replied, yes sir. He asked me to convey that "Zia Ud Din" never takes a cue from anybody & there would be no change in the policy for the Supreme Court. He enquired, would you convey? I replied, not in the same language but with a bit of articulation being a government servant & PRO. He smiled and said this is the problem that officers do not dare to even convey a message. I felt it at that moment but with time, I realized the golden lessons of our discussion & later, whenever we met both exchanged smiles in the backdrop of that meeting. When I compare him with a group of columnists on the pay role of PID (Press Information Department), Ministry of Information, Pakistan. I can not stop dividing media personnel into three categories. the real journalists (Like him), the Pen & mic sellers at cheap prices like those hired by PID who write in favor of every government in power & the last " Rating, popularity lusty by writing, transmitting anything to quench their thirst for money, fame & other gains. First, they write against them, create hype, then come forward to defend, again publish a news item against another gentleman of Islamabad High Court, and recently, published an Affidavit of a judge without any investigation. (I am not from any political party). If you want to pay a tribute, be like Mr. Muhammad Zid Uddin, a torchbearer and an ideal journalist who would surely live in our hearts till we breathe. Mr, Muhammad Ziauddin Zia , you were born great and went to Allah with all your good deeds. Allah may rest your soul in eternal peace & shower His blessings on your bereaved family. Aameen.