ISLAMABAD: A beautiful life came to an end in the wee hours of Thursday, when senior journalist Tariq Mahmood Malik left for his heavenly abode after fighting the Coronavirus for several days. He left hundreds of eyes wet as every friend will miss him a lot, besides his family and relatives.
Tariq Mahmood tested positive for Covid-19 on in last week of November. He was admitted in hospital on December 4th. Few days after he was admitted, doctors put him on ventilator as his oxygen saturation level was decreasing and infection intensified.
He fought against the deadly virus for nine days on ventilator and breathed his last at the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi on Thursday morning.
According to doctors, he tested negative for Covid in the last test before death but the virus had caused irreparable damage to his lungs. Doctors declared cardiopulmonary arrest as final cause of his demise.
He was currently working as senior reporter with Hum news channel. He covered many beats during his journalistic career spanning over two decades. He had specialization in Defence, Diplomatic and Foreign Affairs issues.
He was also teaching at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad for around 15 years, where he trained hundreds of students in media and communication.
He was also an integral part of The News Today and one of the founding members of this organization.
“The News Today (TNT) team will always miss his guidance remain. He will always remain in our hearts,” said Irfan Ghauri Editor TNT.
“Farewell my friends, my time has ended, you know. Be good, but be happy with peace and love as I go,” is the message perceived from the late Tariq Mehmood Malik to the TNT team and all his loved ones.
Tariq Mehmood started his career from print media. He worked with different leading Urdu news papers including Daily Jang before switching to electronic media. He worked with ARY, Waqat News, News One, 92 News, Sama TV before his last assignment in Hum TV.
Tariq Mehmood has several investigative stories on his credit. He also worked in war zones, covered militancy in Swat and FATA and interviewed many militant leaders like Mullah Fazlullah.
He was among the few Pakistani reporters who had experience of covering natural disasters internationally. He also covered Arab spring events in Egypt. His special reports and TV packages would serve as examples of professionalism for young journalists in years to come.
Tariq Mehmood has left three young children, a widow, many family members and thousands of friends to mourn.
Journalist organizations have expressed sorrow over his death. National Press Club announced a three days mourning over death of the senior journalist.
British High Commission also expressed condolences over his death. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of senior journalist Tariq Mahmood Malik. He prayed for the departed soul and commiserated with the bereaved family.
As a mark of respect, Pakistan’s foreign office postponed its weekly press briefing on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers its deepest condolences over the sad demise of senior and seasoned journalist, Tariq Mehmood Malik who covered the Foreign Office for over two decades with great distinction”, said the official statement issued by ministry of foreign affairs.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the departed soul, his family and friends. Mr. Tariq Mahmood’s death is an irreparable loss to the media and journalists’ fraternity. He will be missed profoundly by his friends and colleagues, including in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as millions of viewers and followers” the statement added.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Tariq Malik.
Foreign Office Spokesperson, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri also expressed his deepest condolences over the sad demise of the seasoned journalist. He said that Tariq Mahmood’s death was an irreparable loss to the media and journalist community.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed minister for interior, Syed Amin ul Haq minister for IT and telecommunication, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar spokesperson to PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ghulam Mustafa Malik secretary information PML-Q, former minister Tariq Azeem and many other leading personalities from different walks of life condoled the death of senior journalist.
Indeed it’s a big big loss to all of us.
He was a gem and in recent few get together he was quite amazing, a sense full perosn. Mentor.
May Allah rest soul in peace. Ameen