Transitions: Veteran journalist Majeed Nizami passes away at 86

Shahbaz Sharif attends Nizami's funeral prayers, which were offered on Mason Road in Lahore.

LAHORE: Veteran journalist, chairman of the Nawa-I-Waqt group and its editor-in-chief, Majeed Nizami, passed away in Lahore early on Saturday at the age of 86, Express News reported.

Nizami's funeral prayers were offered on Saturday morning on Mason Road in Lahore. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammed Sarwar also attended the funeral.

Express News screengrab of Punjab chief minister and governor Punjab at the funeral.

Nizami had been suffering from heart problems. On Friday, an announcement in the The Nation, a Nawa-I-Waqt group newspaper, had read that Nizami was receiving treatment for chest infection for the past three weeks and was slowly recovering.

Founder of Nawai Waqt group Majeed Nizami passes away...May Allah rest his soul in peace...

— Shahzeb Khanzada (@shazbkhanzdaGEO) July 25, 2014

Sad news. Majeed Nizami - owner/editor in chief of Nawai Waqt - Nation group passes away. #RIP @RameezaNizami - my condolences. Be strong.

— Raza Ahmad Rumi (@Razarumi) July 25, 2014

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain paid his respects on the death of the senior journalist. He said, “I am deeply saddened at the demise of Majeed Nizami.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, the Punjab chief minister and Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan have also expressed sorrow over the death of the veteran journalist.