Renowned senior journalist, columnist Khalid Ahmed passes away

LAHORE: Renowned journalist and columnist Khalid Ahmed passed away on November 18, 2024, at his residence in Lahore due to a heart attack.

Ahmed, who was 81 years old at the time of his death, had a distinguished career and was associated with several prominent publications. His contributions to the field of journalism were highly respected, and he will be deeply missed.

The funeral prayer for the deceased will be announced later, and the family is expected to share the details soon.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has expressed her condolences over Ahmed’s passing, offering sympathies to the bereaved family. Her gesture reflects the high esteem Ahmed was held by his peers and the wider community.

Ahmed’s impressive educational background paved the way for a distinguished career. He served in official positions in Russia and Eastern Europe and later worked as a Pakistan fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC.

During his tenure at the Centre, Ahmed worked on a project titled “Sectarian Violence in Pakistan and Its Linkages to Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf States,” which is regarded as a definitive text on the core issue of sectarian violence in Pakistan.

Throughout his career, Ahmed was a prolific writer and authored several books on the changes taking place in Pakistan.

His notable works include “The State in Crisis,” “Pakistan: Behind the Ideological Mask (Facts Behind the Great Men We Don’t Want to Know),” “Word for Word: Stories Behind Everyday Words We Use,” and “Pakistan’s Terror Conundrum.” Ahmed’s passing has left a void in the world of journalism, and his peers and readers will deeply miss him.

Tributes pour in

As news of his passing spread, those who knew him personally, professionally, and intellectually paid tribute to him.

“No news could be sadder than the demise of Khaled Ahmad for those in Pakistan who cherish intellectual integrity, enlightenment of heart, and creative liberalism,” said veteran journalist, writer, and human rights activist Wajahat Masood. “I have not seen a more incisive mind than that of Khaled Ahmad and with such a broad range of interests. A historian, a polyglot linguist, a diplomat, a journalist, a studious scholar of comparative religions, and an economist with in-depth analysis of the dynamics of international trade dynamics.

“He was a genuinely avid reader with a facile pen. Above all, he was an incredibly affectionate teacher and an accessible friend. Khaled Saheb’s departure is a loss that Pakistan could barely afford, especially in days as dark as present.”

Cartoonist Sabir Nazar noted: “He was one of the best minds Pakistan [has] produced. Last of the giants.”

Many took to the social media network X (formerly known as Twitter) to express their grief over Khaled Ahmed’s passing.

“The intellectual giant Khaled Ahmed is no more. He was truly a fountain of knowledge with an interesting take on language, culture, politics, religion, and history. He was an inspiration for seekers like me. What a loss,” said writer and author Nadeem Farooq Paracha.

“RIP Khaled Ahmad. A wise and gentle giant moved through our midst and has now passed on. He will not be forgotten,” said journalist Khurram Hussain.

Writer Mohammad Taqi wrote: “Veteran journalist, intellectual, and a great human being Khaled Ahmed is no more. Khaled Sahib’s philology column: ‘A word about words‘ in the Frontier Post was one of its kind. Rest in peace!”