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Mehdi Hasan (Pakistani journalist)

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This article is about the Pakistani journalist. For the British-American journalist, see Mehdi Hasan. For other uses, see Mehdi Hasan (disambiguation).

Mehdi Hasan
Born(1937-06-27)27 June 1937
Panipat, British India
Died23 February 2022(2022-02-23) (aged 84)
Lahore, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
Alma materUniversity of the Punjab
University of Colorado Boulder
Occupation(s)Journalist, Academian
SpouseRukhsana Hasan
RelativesMubashir Hassan (cousin)[1]
AwardsSitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 2012

Mehdi Hasan (Urdu: مہدی حسن) SI was a Pakistani left-wing journalist, media historian, and academic.[2][3][4] He was one of Pakistan's most prominent communication experts, with a specialization in political analysis.[3]

Early life and education

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Hasan was born on 27 June 1937[5] in Panipat, British India. His family migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Sahiwal.[6] Hasan did Master in Journalism and PhD in mass communication from the University of the Punjab on Role of Press in Formation of Public Opinion 1857–1947. He won a Fulbright Scholar (1990) at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he conducted research on "Coverage of Third World Countries in the American Mass Media".

Career

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Hasan joined the faculty of mass communication at the University of the Punjab in 1967.[6] After retirement, he joined Beaconhouse National University, served as Dean of School of Media and Communication.[7]

Hasan was a frequent commentator and panellist on television and radio stations, where he brought his academic research into social context.[3] He wrote extensively on the subject of Pakistan's history, journalism, mass communication and political parties, but his book The Political history of Pakistan is a widely used reference by journalists.[3][8] His long-held personal view was that distortion of facts by news media is distorting our history.[2]

From 1961 to 1967, Hasan's journalism career progressed from sub-editor, reporter, to news bureau chief at Pakistan Press International (PPI) news agency.[3] During this time, he was elected office-bearer of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) five times.[3] Hasan also had been a news commentator and analyst for Pakistani television since 1964, and for Radio Pakistan since 1962, including for Voice of America, BBC News, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, and Associated Press, and a contributor to all major newspapers in Pakistan and a columnist at English daily The News International and at Urdu language newspaper Daily Waqt.[3]

A long-time member and twice elected chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan,[9] Hasan wrote many papers, and participated in multiple seminars. In 2015, addressing a public event at University of Gujrat, Pakistan, Hasan emphasized the urgent need to promote honest and impartial reporting and said that bad journalism is distorting the history of Pakistan. He said all citizens of Pakistan have equal rights under the law regardless of their religions.[2]

His hobbies and passion included photography and he possessed 35mm cameras, including a couple of Rolleiflex cameras.[10] His passion for photography took him to the frontline of the Lahore war zone in 1965, although he was not a professional photographer.[10]

Personal life and death

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Hasan died after a protracted illness on 23 February 2022 in Lahore.[5][9][11][12] He was survived by his wife, Rukhsana Hasan, and two sons.[8][13]

Awards and recognition

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In 2012, he received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award from the President of Pakistan for his services in the field of literature and journalism.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "آہ ! ڈاکٹر مہدی حسن Obituary: Dr. Mehdi Hasan". Express News website. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Bad journalism is distorting history, Dawn, Published 16 November 2015, Retrieved 12 October 2017
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Dr. Mehdi Hasan | Professor School of Creative Arts". Faculty Profiles, University of Lahore. Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ Press freedom: 'Freedom of press, access to information at risk', The Express Tribune, Published 5 May 2012, Retrieved 12 October 2017
  5. ^ a b Sumreen, Siddra (23 February 2022). "Pakistan's renowned journalist, media historian and Professor Dr Mehdi Hassan passes away". GNN. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  6. ^ a b "کیا آپ ڈاکٹر مہدی حسن کے بارے میں جاننا چاہتے ہیں؟". Dawn News. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Former Dean BNU School of Media & Mass Communication (SMC) Professor Dr. Mehdi Hassan has passed away". BNU News. Beaconhouse National University. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b Gabol, Imran (23 February 2022). "Renowned academic, journalist Dr Mehdi Hasan passes away in Lahore". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  9. ^ a b Press release (23 February 2022). "Dr Mehdi Hasan: A man of unwavering principles". hrcp-web.org. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Journalist Mehdi Hasan passes away at 85". GEO News. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Renowned academic, journalist Dr Mehdi Hasan dies at 85". The Express Tribune. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Veteran journalist, HR activist Dr Mehdi Hasan passes away". The News International. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Media fraternity mourns the loss of Dr Mehdi Hasan". Daily Pakistan Global. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  14. ^ "President confers 189 civil awards; 67 recipients decorated at Aiwan-e-Sadr — II". The News International. web.archive.org. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
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