By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: The District Press Club in Landikotal organized a condolence reference on Monday to pay tribute to the professional services, intellectual contributions and social work of late journalist Syed Mudassir Shah Afridi.
Political and social leaders attended the event, including representatives of teachers’ organizations, customs agents, sports figures, teachers, local elders, business personalities, and members of the deceased journalist’s family.
A Quran Khwani was also held while special prayers were offered for the departed soul.
Speakers highlighted different aspects of Syed Mudassir Shah Afridi’s life, describing him as a dedicated journalist, a committed teacher, a humble human being and a sincere social worker who raised his voice for the rights of underprivileged communities.
District Press Club President Aman Ali Shinwari said Mudassir Shah was not merely a journalist but also a soft-spoken and humble person who had made valuable contributions to the region.
“He was an asset to the area, and his loss is difficult to fill,” he said, adding that the late journalist had been associated with national and international media organizations and used his professional platform to highlight the problems and rights of poor and marginalized people.
Aman Ali said Mudassir Shah had faced numerous challenges and hardships during his journalistic career.
“We have not only lost a journalist but also a sincere human being and a prominent social figure,” he said.
Referring to the challenges faced by journalists in Landikotal, Aman Ali said local journalists had made immense sacrifices but continued to uphold their professional responsibilities despite mounting pressure and threats.
He recalled the killing of former Landikotal press club president Khalil Jibran Afridi last year and said several other journalists had also received threats over their reporting. He added that some journalists had been forced to abandon the profession, while others had left Landikotal and were living in difficult circumstances, separated from their children.
Senior journalist Sudhir Afridi said Mudassir Shah had served not only as a journalist but also as a teacher who had taught thousands of students in Landikotal. He described the deceased as a good friend and a committed professional.
Sudhir Afridi said senior journalist Khalil Jibran Afridi had also sacrificed his life for the cause of peace in the region. He noted that journalists in Landikotal continued to face serious security threats while striving to represent the concerns of local residents.
He urged media organizations and international human rights bodies to raise their voices for the protection of journalists working under difficult circumstances and to help ensure the safety of their families.
Malik Darya Khan Afridi said the late journalist had devoted his resources to the education of his children and consistently raised the voice of his community at different forums.
Pakistan Peoples Party leader Gul Bahadur said Mudassir Shah had worked for social reform and that his contributions would be remembered in history.
Other speakers said the late journalist had used his pen to challenge extremism and terrorism and promote education, enlightenment and justice in society.
Shakir Afridi, senior journalist Abdul Azam Shinwari, Torkham Customs Agents Association President Mujeeb Shinwari, Jamaat-e-Islami Landikotal Ameer Murad Hussain Afridi, Khyber Sports Club General Secretary Kaleemullah Shinwari, Awami National Party leader Syeda Jan Afridi, ANP Salar Fazlur Rahman Afridi, Landukotal welfare organization president Akhtar Ali Shinwari, Wahidullah Shinwari and Syed Saadat Shah Afridi also spoke about different aspects of the deceased’s life and contributions.
At the conclusion, Muqtadar Shah Afridi, elder brother of the late journalist and a senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader, thanked the speakers and the District Press Club for organizing the condolence reference and paying tribute to his brother’s professional and social services.
