Veteran journalist Khaled Ahmed passes away

Veteran journalist and columnist Khaled Ahmed passed away at his residence in Lahore's Zaman Park on Sunday at the age of 81. He reportedly died of cardiac arrest.

Khaled Ahmed, born in 1943 in Jalandhar, had a journalistic career spanning over four decades.

Before transitioning into journalism, he initially served in Pakistan’s Foreign Service. Known for his intellectual depth and nuanced commentary, Khaled Ahmed contributed to prominent publications including The Pakistan Times, The Nation, The Frontier Post, The Friday Times, and Daily Times. His last editorial role was as a consulting editor for Newsweek Pakistan.

Khaled Ahmed was an alumnus of Government College Lahore, graduating during the 1965 war. He earned his MA with honours, securing a diploma in German from Punjab University and another in Russian from Moscow State University in 1970.

Najam Sethi, a longtime friend and colleague, expressed his grief, saying, “Khaled and I have been friends since our Government College days in the sixties. We worked closely together at The Friday Times, Aajkal, and Daily Times. He was a gentle, knowledgeable soul, deeply connected to our culture despite his fluency in multiple languages. His loss will be deeply felt, especially since the state did not fully recognise his contributions.”

Veteran journalist Talat Hussain remembered Ahmed as an "exceptional journalist" whose analyses provided a clear lens into Pakistan's socio-political intricacies. "Khaled Ahmed's courage and dedication to challenging mainstream narratives earned him widespread respect. His death is a great loss to Pakistan's journalistic community," Hussain added.

Ejaz Haider, who worked closely with Ahmed for years, called him a mentor, saying, "We met in 1986 at The Nation and later worked together on the editorial team of The Frontier Post. He shaped my journalistic journey. He was an icon, yet it is disheartening that he was never celebrated by the state. He has left behind an irreplaceable legacy."

In his condolence message, Syed Javed Nazir highlighted Ahmed’s significant influence on Pakistani English journalism, adding, “Khaled’s editorial style combined elegance and cultural richness. His work ethic and intelligence made him a trend-setting editor and a friend to those who valued honesty in journalism."

Funeral prayers for Khaled Ahmed will be held on Monday at 3 p.m. at Zaman Park. He is survived by his son.