LAHORE: Senior Dawn (Lahore) reporter Muhammad Asghar passed away here on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 68.

He developed respiratory problems nearly a month ago. According to his son, he collapsed while taking evening meals. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.

Popularly known as Butt Sahib, Mr Asghar started his career as a reporter with the Pakistan Press International (PPI) in the late 1960s where he would mainly cover politics.

He joined The Pakistan Times in 1970 where he rose to the office of chief reporter in 1988. He continued to work for the newspaper till its privatisation in 1994. He briefly worked for The Muslim before joining Dawn in 2002.

Mr Asghar was a hardworking and steel-nerved journalist who believed in digging out a story when there was apparently none.

He left behind a widow, two sons and a daughter. His funeral procession will be taken out at 9am from his residence, 122- Sutlej Block, near Allama Iqbal’s Moon Market, on Wednesday (today).

Funeral prayers will be offered at a nearby mosque. He will be laid to rest at Allama Iqbal’s Karim Block graveyard.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/12/2010