The Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) Karachi organized a condolence reference in memory of the Vice President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi and former Director General of Pakistan Television (PTV) Athar WaqarAzeem, at the Jaun Elia Lawn. The event was attended by notable figures including the President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, Muhammad Ahmed Shah, Zaheer Khan, Amjad Shah, TajdarAdeel, anchor Yahya Khan, Secretary Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi EjazFarooqi, Iqbal Latif, Ayub Sheikh, Nadir Azeem, Kamal Uddin Ahmed, ShahidaShoaib, Asif Ansari, Misbah, Ameen Memon, Qamar Ahmed, Asif Iqbal, Matloob Rizvi, and Sohail Hashmi. During the event, Akhtar WaqarAzeem spoke via telephone. Athar WaqarAzeems life was commemorated with a showreel at the beginning of the event. President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, Muhammad Ahmed Shah, expressed that Athar was like an older brother and a close friend. He recalled how he and Anwar Maqsood, along with musician Arshad Mahmood, would often sit with Athar every fifteen days.
He mentioned that he never heard Athar speak ill of anyone and shared a deep emotional bond with him. Athar’s doors were always open to everyone. Shah reflected on the rarity of people who, despite facing their own struggles, never expressed them outwardly. He described Athar as a forgiving and genuinely good person, emphasizing the time Athar spent with Nadir in his final moments. In a telephonic conversation, Akhtar WaqarAzeem shared that their family affectionately called Athar “Sunny.” He noted that while many perceived him as serious, he was quite the opposite, showing a keen interest in sports and often stating that “watching a cricket match on TV is more enjoyable than being in the stadium.”
He is always ready to help others. Zaheer Khan remarked on the pivotal role Pakistan Television played in their success, noting that they never allowed conflicts among themselves. He emphasized that PTV was instrumental in educating them about what it means to be a producer, providing a hybrid of entertainment programming that fostered learning opportunities. Renowned poet TajdarAdeel spoke of the loving relationship he had with Athar, describing him as a stylish individual. PTV General Manager Amjad Shah referred to Athar as a person of immense stature.
