Kashmir’s Baba-e-Sahafat is no more

Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 24: Khawja Sanaullah Bhat, 87, Editor of leading Urdu daily ‘Aftaab’ passed away here late Tuesday after prolonged illness. He is not survived by any immediate relation. He passed away a week after the death of another veteran journalist and Editor of Srinagar Times, Sofi Ghulam Mohammad.
Born on 14 November 1922 Khawja sahib, as he was popularly known, breathed his last at S K Institute of Medical Sciences were he was battling for life for the past few weeks. Considered as Baba-e-Sahafat (father of journalism) in Kashmir, he had completely devoted his life to journalism. Besides being founder editor of 53-year-old Aftaab, he was an author of many books which include ‘Ahad Namae Kashmir’. 

Khawja Sahib started his career as journalist in Pakistan administered Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad wherefrom he published weekly newspaper ‘Kashmir’.
However, following differences with government there he along with two others was pushed back to this part from Uri sector in 1956. Soon after that he started Aftaab first as weekly and then daily. He filled a vacuum as there was no independent newspaper after Hamdard of Prem Nath Bazaz ceased its publication.
Aftaab had many firsts in journalism to its credit. It was the first paper which was printed on offset press and started subscribing to PTI and UNI news services. Introduction of hawkers and home delivery of newspapers was also started first by Khawja sahib.
Khawja sahib had started a campaign of donation for sufferers in Palestine. At that time the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) ambassador based in Delhi had come to Srinagar to collect a donation of Rs 1 lakh besides several units of blood in 1982. He gave a new direction to subtle humour in journalism by penning down famous column ‘Kazir Souchta Hey Wular Ke Kinarey’, which he continued until he was shifted to hospital. Khawja sahib was a fearless journalist and the entire journalistic fraternity is in deep mourning.
The end, according to hospital authorities, came at 9.38 pm.
JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik who was close to Khawja sahib was among the first to reach the hospital as the news broke.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, opposition Peoples Democratic Party Patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, senior separatist leader and Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and several top leaders expressed grief and shock over the death of Khawja. The members of the civil society in Kashmir including the journalistic fraternity also expressed shock over the death of the veteran journalist.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he was shocked to hear the news of Khawja’s death and added that his loss was irreparable while PDP Patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said Kashmir’s politicians will miss the criticism of the Khawja and added that his death had created a vacuum which cannot be filled.
Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik, who was close to Khawja, said: “Khawja sahib’s death is a shock. He was a fatherly figure and nice human being. His loss is irreparable.”
Malik said that Khawja’s Nimaz-e-Jinazzah would be held at 2 pm on Wednesday at Lal Chowk and Fateh Khawani would be observed on Friday at 2:30 pm.
Adbee Markaz Kamraz President Aziz Hajni, General Secretary Syed Shujaat Bukhari, Press Guild of Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party leaders Nizamuddin Bhat and Syed Basharat Bukhari also expressed grief and shock over Khawja’s death. Noted broadcaster Brij Nath Betab condoled his death and recalled how he encouraged young writers.
Director of State’s Information Department, Khawja Farooq Renzu also expressed shock over Khawja’s death.
Noted journalist Yusuf Jameel said he was shocked to hear the news of the death of Khawja. “Khawja sahib was affectionate. I started my career with Aftab and worked there for four and half years. I learnt a lot from him. He guided me and encouraged me,” said Jameel, the name Khawja suggested Yusuf to use as his pen name.
Jameel, who works for Voice of America and Asian age , said: “When I started journalism, Aftab was the only newspaper, which had employees who were paid regularly. The rest of the newspapers then used to be a family affair and didn’t give salary to the staff.”
Jameel said Khawja even mentioned him in his Kashmir chronicle, ‘Kashmir 1947 Se 1977 Tak’ which was translated in English as ‘Kashmir in flames’. “I helped with the book him and he duly mentioned about it in his book.”
Jameel also credited Khawja for many innovations in Kashmir journalism. “He was the first one in Kashmir to use the offset press for the newspaper and use the newswires, have staff reporters and cameramen.”
Jameel said when he worked with the Aftab, the newspaper used to be independent. “Khawja sahib used to take stand on the issues. We criticized Farooq Abdullah government and even G M Shah who was a minister then.
“Khawja sahib was a pro-Kashmiri from the core of the heart.”
Editor of the Urdu weekly Chattan, Tahir Mohuiddin who also started his career from Aftab in 1977 said he was shattered to hear the news of Khawja’s death. “When I started journalism, there were only two institutions of journalism in the Valley – Aftab and Srinagar Times. I joined Aftab because it was the only institutions where budding journalists could join. I remember four of us Ghulam Nabi Ratanbpuri, Yusuf Jameel, Khalid Bashir and I started working for Aftab and Khawja sahib was all encouragement.
“I joined Aftab in 1977 as a reporter and worked there until 1983. My name was in the print line of the newspaper when I worked as the editor,” Mohuiddin said. “Khawja sahib was a disciplinarian. Working then used to be very tough. We used to work from 10 am to 10 pm and Khawja sahib used to see every news, every article and correct it. He never comprised with work.”
About the column Khazir Sochta Hai Walur Key Kinare, Mohiddin said: “It has been a permanent column for over four decades. Later in Khawja sahib’s life when he was not able to hold a pen and write, he used to give dictation but ensure the readers got to read the column.”
Mohuiddin said Khawja also used to write the ‘Khabar-e-Zaina Kadal’ column and ‘Khabarun key Ainey Main’. “He used to stay in the office for 24 hours as he had no family.”
Mohuiddin said Khawja suggested the pen names for a number of journalists in Kashmir with which they later achieved name and fame.


KMG shares grief

Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 24: Kashmir Media Group expressed grief and shock over the death of Khawja Sanaullah Bhat, veteran journalist of Kashmir and Editor of Urdu daily ‘Aftab’.
Expressing grief over Khawja’s death, Editor of the English daily Rising Kashmir, Urdu daily Buland Kashmir and Kashmiri weekly newspaper Sangarmaal, Syed Rafiuddin Bukhari said in Khawja’s death Kashmir had lost the pioneer of journalism and a great human being.
Bukhari said Khawja made Aftab the first institution of journalism in Kashmir.

 
Funeral today at 2 pm

Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 24: The Nimaz-e-Jinazah of veteran journalist of Kashmir and Editor of Urdu daily Aftab, Khawja Sanaullah Bhat, who passed away late Tuesday evening, would be held at Lal Chowk at 2 pm.
Zahoor Hashmi, who is working as an editor with the Aftab Charitable Trust said: “The Nimaz-e-Jinazah of Khawja sahib will be held at 2 pm in front of Hotel Peak View (Hotel Neelam) at 2 pm.