Majeed Nizami

Majeed Nizami was born on April 3, 1928 in Sangla Hill, Sheikhupura. For early education he attended the Sangla Hill Government School and then moved to Lahore where he passed his Matriculation examination and gained his FA from the Islamia College, Railway Road. After graduation from the Government College Lahore in 1952, Majeed Nizami earned his MA degree in Political Science from University of the Punjab.

While at the Islamia College, Majeed Nizami took an active part in the Pakistan Movement from the platform of the Muslim Students Federation. In recognition of these services, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan awarded Majeed Nizami the honour of Mujahid-e-Tehrik-e-Pakistan along with a sword as a symbolic gesture.

In 1954, Majeed Nizami went to UK where he remained a student of International Affairs at the University of London and attended Grey's Inn for the Bar. While in London, Majeed Nizami also worked as a political reporter for Nawa-i-Waqt and in doing so met many heads of state and other notable world leaders.

In 1962, martial law was imposed in Pakistan by General Ayub Khan. The pressure from the military government on Hameed Nizami (Majeed Nizami's beloved brother) to support the regime became too much for him to bear, resulting in his sudden demise. Majeed Nizami returned to Pakistan and vowed to follow in his brother's footsteps.

It was early on in Ayub Khan's dictatorial regime that Majeed Nizami took over the reigns’ of Nawa-i-Waqt. He opposed the military government and in the presidential elections backed Fatima Jinnah (Madr-e-Millat) as the opposing candidate. Other than military governments, civilian governments have also tried to influence Nawa-i-Waqt's independent policies without any success. Governments slashed the paper's advertisements and withheld its quota of newsprint but Majeed Nizami held high the flag of unflinching truth in Nawa-i-Waqt's editorials.

Majeed Nizami has acquainted his institution with new heights of honour and dignity and made Nawa-i-Waqt a force to be reckoned with. On the intellectual front, his interpretation of the basic ideology by, and for which, Pakistan was formed has been relentlessly promoted and defended. While on the political front Majeed Nizami has made Nawa-i-Waqt a mighty political weapon and has become the most widely respected and influential paper of the country, which, in the words of many, holds vision and commitment to truth as its policy.

Chairman of Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust, Majeed Nizami's first and foremost concern was the benefit of the Muslim nation. Be it be the plight of the Afghans, Bosnians, Chechens, Iraqis or the Palestinians who were in dire straits; Bangladeshi Behari refugees or the Kashmiris who needed his help, in every difficult time he was seen standing shoulder to shoulder with his Muslim brethren.

Majeed Nizami firmly believed that without Kashmir, Pakistan is incomplete. He has fought tirelessly at the front of the struggle to gain Kashmiris their right of self-determination as promised by the proclamations of the UN, and to make the territory a recognized part of Pakistan.

Because of the illegal occupation of Kashmir, Majeed Nizami remained a fierce and open opponent of friendly relations with India, unless and until the issue is resolved according the UN Resolution on Kashmir. Having visited nearly every country in the world including Eastern Europe and Russia, Majeed Nizami refused to visit India, even when invited by various Pakistani delegations to accompany them. He believed Bangladesh as being a direct creation of India and that India never accepted partition and is relentlessly conspiring to undo Pakistan and undermine its strength.

Majeed Nizami was a staunch promoter of Pak-China friendship and visited the People's Republic of China on numerous occasions. He had the privilege of meeting the founder of the People's Republic of China, Chairman Mao-Tse Tung and the Prime Minister, Mr Chou Enlai and also had the honour of sharing the main dinner table with them along with other Pakistani dignitaries.

The Pakistan Human Rights Society awarded Majeed Nizami the Human Rights Award with great pride. On January 9, 2005, in a gathering of eminent personalities, Mr Majeed Nizami collected the award in person. In light of his dedication to the protection of human rights in Kashmir and his search for a democratic solution to the Kashmir issue, Majeed Nizami was named a Mujahid-i-Kashmir. He has been elected many times the president of the APNS and CPNE. Majeed Nizami received Sitara-i-Pakistan, Sitara-i-Imtiaz and the single greatest honour that can be awarded, the Nishan-i-Imtiaz.

General Zia-ul-Haq recommended him as a nominee to the Shura (Parliament), Prime Minister Junejo suggested the Governorship of the Punjab to him and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with his father offered him the Presidency of the country. All of which he respectfully declined, saying that the title of the editor of Nawa-i-Waqt is what best grants him the opportunity and privilege of serving his country.

Veteran journalist and editor-in-chief of the Nawai Waqt Group, Majeed Nizami was under treatment for severe chest infection in a hospital in Lahore, where he died in the early hours of Saturday the 26 July 2014.

A large number of people including politicians, journalists and newspaper editors as well as owners, attended the Namaz-i-Janaza at the Lawrence Gardens. Prominent among those who attended the funeral were Punjab Governor Mohammad Sarwar, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz. A number of federal and provincial ministers, retired and serving judges and parliamentarians were also present.

He was laid to rest at the Miani Sahib graveyard. Later, Mian Shahbaz Sharif placed a wreath on Majeed Nizami’s grave.