Veteran journalist Saleem Asmi passes away in Karachi

Asmi was also the former president of Karachi Press Club

Veteran journalist and former president of the Karachi Press Club Saleem Asmi passed away in Karachi on Saturday.

He was also the former editor of English daily Dawn and served as a news editor in the same publication and a UAE-based publication Khaleej Times.

Asmi also served as the president of the Karachi Press Club (KPC). The date and time of his funeral are yet to be decided.

Condolences for the veteran journalist poured in as colleagues and friends reacted to the news of his passing.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said Asmi "carried exceptional courage around him like a casual accessory, never talking about it, just using it when needed".

Sorry & sad that Pakistani journalism lost one of its best and brightest.Carried exceptional courage around with him like a casual accessory, never talking about it, just using it when needed, which was often. Saleem Asmi was also one of the kindest persons I’ve known. #RIPAsmisb https://t.co/EpwczN1jSy

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) October 31, 2020

Saleem Asmi sb, former editor of Dawn and an institution in himself, has passed away. He was a guiding light for so many seeking to understand journalistic standards and practices. The qualities he possessed are so rare today. He will be sorely missed... pic.twitter.com/M2NZozSCHn

— Bilal Farooqi (@bilalfqi) October 30, 2020

Senior journalist Hamid Mir said Asmi supported him in getting his interview with Osama bin Laden published.

Saleem Asmi no more with us.When I interviewed OBL in Nov 2001 my paper was reluctant to publish I gave it to Dawn.Musharraf regime tried to stop it Dawn editor Saleem Asmi asked me switch off ur phone and disappear I will handle next day it was published. https://t.co/Y0jx7F97Oy

— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) October 31, 2020