The global journalism community is mourning the loss of Tahir Ikram, a distinguished Pakistani journalist, who passed away at the age of 59 in a Kuala Lumpur hospital on Sunday. Mr. Ikram, a former Thomson Reuters journalist and trailblazing program director of a private TV channel in Pakistan, succumbed to complications arising from a massive heart attack he suffered over the weekend.
Tahir Ikram’s journalistic journey began in the bustling city of Rawalpindi on November 27, 1964. Born to Ikramul Haq, the chief reporter for Pakistan Times, and Ms. A Rasheed, Tahir’s early education at St Mary’s Academy paved the way for his later studies at Islamabad College for Boys.
Following in the footsteps of his father, who had a noteworthy stint at Dawn newspaper, Tahir embarked on his own journalistic career with PPI news agency after graduating from Gordon College in 1983. Three years later, he played a pivotal role in establishing the first-ever Islamabad Bureau for the newly launched English-language daily, The Nation. Tahir also served as the capital correspondent for The Frontier Post.
In the late 1990s, Tahir Ikram’s decade-long association with Thomson Reuters in Islamabad marked a significant chapter in his career. His role as a senior correspondent allowed him to combine his passion for economic reporting with administrative skills, managing a team of reporters at the Islamabad Bureau.
The turn of the century saw Tahir’s transition to Karachi, where he entered the realm of electronic media. Serving as the director of programs at CNBC Pakistan, he later assumed a similar role as the founding programming director for a private TV channel in 2007. Unfortunately, a shift in senior management in the subsequent year led to editorial confusion, prompting Tahir’s departure. Undeterred, he relocated to Singapore and took on the role of news editor at ICIS, a news agency specializing in the chemical industry.
Tahir Ikram, survived by wife Samra Tahir and two children, passed away suddenly. His death has saddened friends and former colleagues. A tribute will take place in Islamabad, and funeral details will be announced soon.
