A thorough professional and a great human being

By Muhammad Ejaz Khan

A journalist is an ordinary person with an extraordinary access to thesources of power. However, it is the true test of a journalisthow he remoulds this access for the greater good andin the larger interest of the general public through correct dissemination of information and raising awareness.
Through its professionalism and ethical standards, the Jang group of newspapers has earned the singular honour to bring dignity to the profession of journalism across the globe. From a humble beginning with one newspaper, publishing from Karachi, to establishing Pakistan’s biggest media group, bringing out numerous publications in several languages from almost all the major cities of the country is enough testimony to the commitment that late Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman made to himself and his country to reach out to every Pakistani, every day. It was like a dream come true.
Like other cities, the association of Mir Saheb with Balochistan, was simply marvelous. As a keen journalist, he was fully familiar with the major issues that this largest province (land-wise) of Pakistan had to face.  In order to give voice to the people of Balochistan and raise awareness among the masses, Mir Saheb launched Daily Jang from Quetta, the then capital of the new province of Balochistan, on the 31st of May, 1972.  Not only he wrote about the problems and issues of the province himself, but he also directed the Editorial Board of Jang Group to give maximum coverage to the said topic.
The editorial of this maiden edition, under the caption of Hurf-e-Aghaz, can easily be regarded as the constitution of the Pakistani journalism. An excerpt from the first editorial of the daily Jang Quetta read: “After the abolishment of One Unit, Balochistan has been given the status of a province which would provide new opportunities of development and progress to the people of the region. It is hoped that the brave and hard working people of the province would arduously strive for a brighter future. We will not leave any stone unturned to raise the voice of the people. We will play our role to the best to improve the condition of the people of the province. We hope and pray for the political, economic and social development of Balochistan.”
This clearly depicts that the newspaper not only aspired to keep the masses informed but it also aimed at working for the development of the province.
Sharing his reminiscences about Mir Saheb, renowned journalist, Majeed Asghar, who was appointed by Mir Saheb as resident editor of daily Jang Quetta, said that Mir Saheb was always workers-friendly and concerned about his employees.
“Mir Saheb always advised journalists to highlight the problems of a common man, giving proper space to their issues in the newspaper. Without a shadow of doubt, Mir Saheb rendered innumerable services to the field of journalism,” he said.
Similarly, recollecting the memories of the past, Station Manager Daily Jang Quetta, Muhammad Azhar, harks back: “Once I was going to drop Mir Saheb at Quetta Airport and on the way, Mir Saheb said: “Jang is my baby and I nurture it like a baby.” The philosophy of Mir Saheb was to work hard and endeavour for upholding freedom of speech and expression. During his short visits to Quetta, Mir Saheb always advised Jang employees in the following words: “You love your work and it will reciprocate.”
In Quetta, the people who have worked with Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman are of the view that Mir Saheb was a thorough professional who never compromised on his principles, adding that he applied innovative ideas to journalism.
One of his contemporaries and a prominent media person from Balochistan, Syed Faseih Iqbal recalls:
 “I knew Mir Saheb since the ’60s. Once ,he came to Quetta along with his family and spent over a week staying in the Lourdes’ Hotel, located near the cantonment. Mir Saheb was a thorough gentleman with lots of qualities. He was not only hard working himself but was also very considerate towards his staffers. He had the quality and capability of identifying the talent of the people and take work from them as per their abilities.”
Faseih Iqbal further narrates: “He always believed in working tirelessly. He even used to work round-the-clock sitting in his office or busy in newspaper-related activities. Mir Saheb was an expert in envisaging good plans and always came up with forward-looking strategies for his newspaper. For this reason, Mir Saheb took his newspaper to the heights of success, making it (Jang) the paper of generations.”

Praising Mir Saheb’s personality traits, he further added: “He was logical and realistic in his approach. Along with a down-to- earth personality, he was blessed with sharp intelligence, impeccable classiness, and dedication. He always talked to his workers without any discrimination on the basis of their socio-economic status.”
Owing to his unflagging devotion to alleviate the plight of Balochistan by providing it with a platform like Jang, the people of the province regarded Mir Saheb with immense respect.  After the death of Mir Saheb, the then Balochistan Minister of Local Government, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, renamed the Jamiat Roy Road of Quetta (where the offices of the Daily Jang were located) as Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Road, in 1992. This was done in recognition of his meritorious services for the cause of journalism in Balochistan.
All in all, Mir Saheb was a true journalist who remained impartial throughout his life to uphold journalistic ethics and his newspapers supported his stance.

—The writer is a senior journalist and Bureau Chief of Geo TV, Quetta