Transitions: Ayesha Haroon, 1967-2013

Former city editor of The News and The Nation loses battle with cancer.

LAHORE: Ayesha Haroon, 46, an eminent journalist and former city editor of The News, died Saturday night in New York after a four-year long battle with cancer.

Dr Faisal Bari, her husband, Hassan Haroon and Usman Haroon, her brothers, and her mother were by her side as she breathed her last.

Ayesha was only 42 when diagnosed with cancer. She received her initial treatment from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore and was later flown to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. However, over the last few months, her health deteriorated and she finally passed away on Saturday.



Her body is expected to arrive in Lahore on Wednesday evening. She will be buried on Thursday afternoon next to her father’s (Syed Haroon Shah’s) grave in Miani Sahib graveyard.

Ayesha started her career at Daily Frontier Post. She later joined The Nation, and worked at various editorial positions in Lahore and Islamabad. She also brainstormed over the setting up of Waqt TV, and worked hard to train its team.

In 2007 she joined The News, Lahore as editor.

Ayesha has left behind grieving family members, friends and a large number of journalists whom she trained during her long and illustrious career. Among the aggrieved family members are her husband Dr Faisal Bari who is professor of economics at LUMS and senior adviser to the Open Society Institute, Pakistan.

Ayesha’s funeral will take place at the mosque near her home, 78, Haroon Street, Babar Block, New Garden Town, Lahore (near Barkat Market) on Thursday after Zohar prayers.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2013.