It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Mr. Sohail Qalandar, a courageous Pakistani journalist who embodied the true spirit of neutrality even when writing about political or culturally sensitive issues. Mr. Qalandar was an example for all aspiring journalists and his loss will be felt by everyone.
Mr. Qalandar was not only an excellent journalist, but a fearless voice of anti-terrorism and anti-Taliban. So courageous was he that this distinguished journalist was kidnapped, held captive, and tortured in 2007. Still, he never relented in his dedication to truth and justice.
On learning of his premature death, members of the journalist community were shocked and saddened.
PESHAWAR: Prominent journalist and columnist Sohail Qalandar died of cardiac arrest here on Saturday. He was 41.
Qalandar leaves behind a widow and three children — two sons and a daughter — along with an extended family and a vast circle of friends, colleagues and office staff to mourn his death.
Funeral prayer for the deceased was offered at the College Ground in Mardan Saturday night and he was laid to rest in the Bijlee Ghar locality in his hometown. People from different walks of life including government functionaries, political leaders, representatives of civil society, relatives and friends of the deceased and a large number of members of the journalist community from Peshawar and other parts of the country gathered in Mardan to say farewell to one of the boldest journalists of this insurgency-stricken region.
During his 17-year professional career, commencing in 1992 as correspondent for an Urdu newspaper in Mardan, Sohail Qalandar served in various capacities with different newspapers and media outlets. He was resident editor of Urdu language daily Express in Peshawar since September 24, 2002. He was twice elected as president of the Peshawar Press Club and once as president of the Khyber Union of Journalists. Presently, he was senior vice-president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.
Sohail Qalandar wrote columns for his Urdu newspaper. Due to his uncompromising stance against militants, his friends and well-wishers used to advise him not to take unnecessary risks. He, however, never learnt to go between the lines in his column and during his appearances on television while speaking out against the militants.
“We’ve lost our boldest colleague. He openly criticised the militants for their inhuman acts,” said Shamim Shahid, president of the Peshawar Press Club. “He was a very sensitive person and free of all kinds of greed and bias. We lived together in good and bad days but I never found him having any personal agenda,” he added.
Witnessing upheavals in his professional career, Sohail Qalandar was kidnapped by armed men from Hayatabad locality of Peshawar on January 2, 2007. This enraged the journalist community that launched a campaign for his recovery. Hunger strikes were observed, processions taken out and rallies staged, forcing the government to take action for his recovery. He was released after 52 days of captivity in Bara area of Khyber Agency.
“He was an unbending man as far as his writings are concerned,” said Nasir Hussain, one of his colleagues. “He always honoured the sanctity of his pen. At the same time, he was a true professional, a kind-hearted boss and a sincere friend,” he added.
The Khyber Union of Journalists termed his death as an irreparable loss for journalism. The NWFP governor, the provincial government and chief of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan, JUI-F leaders Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and Abdul Jalil Jan and politicians from other parties also condoled his death, praised his work as journalist and expressed sympathies with his family. Former Jamaat-e-Islami head Qazi Hussain Ahmad was among politicians who attended his funeral in Mardan.
Mr. Sohail Qalandar was an exemplary journalist and advocate for a free and independent Pakistan. We will remember him for his bravery and his ethics. Here we leave you with his memory and his column Qatelaan.
Tags: Sohail Qalandar