Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
The services of the Founder Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, late Zahid Malik (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) for the cause of Islam, Unity of Ummah and Ideology of Pakistan will be remembered for long and his vision of a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Pakistan will continue to inspire generations after generations.
These views were expressed by the participants of a collective Dua and Quran Khwani held at the Faisal Masjid after the Friday prayers to mark the 7th death anniversary of late Zahid Malik (died: Sept 1, 2016).
Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Faisal Zahid Malik, members of the family, friends, relatives and diplomats attended the collective Dua and prayed for the eternal peace and blessing of the departed soul.
All his life through his speeches and interviews and in his articles and books, Zahid Malik advocated a strong and vibrant Pakistan as he had a considered opinion that despite serious economic and political challenges, the country had the potential to bounce back and overcome all obstacles. He was a defender of Pakistan’s ideological boundaries and was always in the front row to counter any threat to Islam, Ideology of Pakistan and people of the Indian-Occupied Kashmir or Unity of Ummah.
He was a true reflection of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s saying, “Work, work and more work” and thus he wanted the youth of Pakistan to live a life according to the Quaid’s teachings and vision, they said adding, he was a prolific writer too and had a number of extensively-researched popular books to his name.
However, of all his works, his book ‘Mazameen-e-Quran’ or ‘Subjects of Quran’ is the one that gave him international fame and is selling even today like a hot cake. The book has been translated into English, French and German languages and now its Chinese and Spanish translations are underway.
Zahid Malik was a firm believer in Pakistan-China Friendship and considered China Pakistan’s time-tested friend. To materialize his vision of stronger and broader Pakistan-China cooperation he founded a unique think tank, namely, “101 Friends of China” to guide the governments of two brotherly countries on various national and international issues of mutual importance.
The government of Pakistan, in recognition of late Zahid Malik’s services to the country, bestowed on him the prestigious civil award Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2011. The then President Asif Ali Zardari decorated him the medal. Recently, on August 14, 2023 the federal government announced Hilal-i-Imtiaz (posthumously) for him. The medal would be given to one of his
family members during a ceremony at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on the National Day of Pakistan (March 23, 2024).
In addition to Faisal Masjid, prayers were also held at the shrine of Imam Bari and Eidgah Sharif Rawalpindi. Moreover, in Makkah, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, former Special Representative of PM on Interfaith Harmony led the prayers for the blessings of Zahid Malik’s soul.
At Lahore’s Badshahi Masjid, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad in his Friday sermons paid rich tributes to Zahid Malik and called him a true patriotic Pakistani.
In Karachi, prominent business leaders, Mahmood Parekh and Haji Rafiq Pardesi attended Fateha Khwani and highlighted Zahid Malik’s contributions to the country’s business sector.
Quran Khwani and Dua-e-Maghfirat were also held at the Aiwan-e-Quaid, Nazriya Pakistan Council, Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park).
At Pakistan Observer’s Karachi and Lahore bureaus and in Faisalabad and other cities of Pakistan too, the NPC local chapters and religious scholars held Quran Khwani respectively. At Pakistan Observer’s head office in Islamabad, Executive Editor of Pakistan Observer Gauhar Zahid Malik, staff and workers of the newspaper organized Quran Khwani and Dua-e-Maghfiat for late Zahid Malik.
