KPC organizes a reference for the recently departed senior journalist, writer and poet Nadir Shah Adil

The senior journalists, who paid rich tributes to the departed senior journalist, included Hasan Abbas, Rasheed Shakoor, Rafiq Baloch, Javed Chaudhry, Bachal Leghari, Amin Yousuf, Ehtesham Mufti, Asghar Umer, Afsar Imran, Prof. Tauseef Ahmed, Maqsood Yousufi, Mazhar Abbas and Naseer Hashmi.

Hasan Abbas remembered him as a senior he looked up to as a young crime reporter. He met him through various friends in Lyari who ran a street school. He said that he work in association with Nadir Shah Adil for some 30 years. “We also worked in papers which would not pay salaries for months,” he said. “There were difficult times of personal problems when I found him by my side,” he added.

“He was working with ‘Khabrein’ when I was requested by ‘Express’ in 2001 to ask him to join us. He would feel guilty on working from home and resign again and again, which would not be accepted.”

Rasheed Shakoor said that he knew him as a student. “I am yet to meet a journalist like him. He was an institution. He would always strive for the truth. He only wrote the truth. He was an inspiration,” he said.

“He also understood sports, having himself played football in Lyari,” he said.

Rafiq Baloch also said that he was in college when Nadir Shah Adil used to write against drug abuse. “He also wrote a book about footballer Maradona after he was caught for drug trafficking,” he said.

“When I stepped into journalism, he advised me to learn all languages. He encouraged me to read books, as reading would help me advance my vocabulary in all languages,” he said.

Javed Chaudhry said that he was taught by Shah Ji how to make news intro. “He taught me to be brief and concise in writing news,” he said.

“He was an extremely honest and self-respecting man,” he said.

Bachal Laghari said that he also remembered him as a caring person, a good teacher. “I will remember his caring nature for us juniors. He was so knowledgeable, he was an encyclopedia,” he said.

“Journalism was his mission. It was his way of working for humanity,” he said.

Amin Yousuf remembered him as a humble man. “He had no attitude. He referred to all who approached him as his brother. He did not look down on anyone,” he said.

Ehtesham Mufti said that he and Hasan Abbas met him in hospital in his final days, which was painful to watch. “He was a simple man, who would not even get angry at anyone doing him wrong,” he said while adding how he used to say he distributes mobile phones to young people instead of saying they were robbing him.

Asghar Umer said that whenever he needed research without having to read books Shah Ji would be his source, go-to person.

Afsar Imran said that Shah jee possessed much experience in journalism as he had worked in all the big Urdu newspapers of the city.

Writer and academic Dr Tauseef Ahmed said that Lyari is a place that has given many enlightened journalists and writers to this city. “Nadir Shah Adil was more than just that. He was also a sportsman and actor,” he said.

“With him as editor, we writers and columnists worked happily and in ease. He would also take stands for us. He also loved books and promoted the reading culture,” he said.

Maqsood Yousufi said that he is proud to also be his student. “He was my boss and I was his lone assistant in daily ‘Ailaan’,” he said.

“He was also working in a Balochi movie then and he often gave me the push ahead to take the lead in writing the news,” he said.

“He also helped when I started running in elections at KPC and agreed to join my panel even though we had no hope of winning at the time,” he said, hoping that all journalists could follow his life’s example.

Mazhar Abbas said that the children he used to help and guide later attacked his home. That’s when he thought that it was time to leave Lyari. “It is shameful and shocking how he was treated by people he used to think of as his own,” he said.

“I used to work In ‘Star’ and him with ‘Hurriet’. They were both Dawn Group publications. He used to paint a different picture of Lyari than others. He was pained by the gang war. He was sad about the boxers who turned to wrong doings due to their own circumstances,” he said.

“He had a clear mind and political output. He was a complete journalist who you could discuss sports, politics, showbiz, and so much more,” he said.

Wasi Hashmi said that his association with Shah Ji spanned over half a century. “He was amazing as he never got angry at things. He was forgiving and understanding,” in his ways. “He was also very self-respecting and there surely were things that would hurt him but he would not share it with others,” he added.

Earlier, Secretary KPC Shoaib Ahmed also spoke about the integrity of the late senior journalist saying that listening to his colleagues talk about him will tell you about the various aspects of his life.

President KPC Saeed Sarbazi thanked members for attending the reference and enlightening those who did not know much about Nadir Shah Adil. Remembering the Balochi film in which he had worked, which could not be released, he pointed to a song with skimpily-dressed Portuguese dancers that became the reason for the picture not getting released to this day. He also remembered an incident when Shah Ji stood up against Altaf Hussain in public. “He may be a soft and decent person but he was also uncompromising against things which went against his journalistic integrity,” he said.

Finally, prayers were said for the easy passage of the departed soul.