ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb expressed deep sorrow over the death of Khalid Hameed Farooqui, a journalist associated with the Jang group, who passed away on Saturday.
In a tweet, Aurangzeb said Farooqui was a veteran with a “serious temperament and high journalistic standards”. He was a well-known journalist from Pakistan working in Europe who made history by covering the violent crisis in Ukraine, she added.
سنیئر صحافی خالد حمید فاروقی کی وفات پہ بہت دکھ ہو
خالد حمید فاروقی سنجیدہ طبعیت اور اعلی صحافتی معیار پر کاربند صحافی تھے وہ یورپ سے پاکستانی صحافی کے طور پر معروف تھے، حالیہ یوکرین جنگ میں بھی انہوں نے ایک نئی صحافتی تاریخ رقم کی تھی— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) May 7, 2022
Paying tribute to his journalistic services, Aurangzeb prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude.
Farooqui, who remained associated with Geo News since its launch in 2002 and was its bureau chief in Europe, belonged to Karachi but was settled in Brussels. Among his recent assignments was the coverage of the French presidential election.
Geo News said Farooqui suffered a heart attack in Brussels after arriving from London. He is survived by his wife and two children — a son and a daughter.
“Greatly saddened to hear this news […] You fought the good fight. Never sold out. Courageous journalist, [a] consistent fighter for media freedom and democracy,” wrote Beena Sarwar, a journalist.
Greatly saddened to hear this news. RIP #KhalidHameedFarooqi old friend. You fought the good fight. Never sold out. Courageous journalist, consistent fighter for media freedom and democracy. Condolences to family, colleagues, friends. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/Zq7JE8K0KN
— beena sarwar (@beenasarwar) May 7, 2022
“Khalid Hameed was a lovely man. Rest in peace,” tweeted Zia ud-Din Yousafzai, Malala Yousafzai’s father.
Khalid Hameed sab was a lovely man. Rest in peace. Ameen. pic.twitter.com/o5OEtYBujU
— Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) May 6, 2022
