A ROLE MODEL ROLLS OFF: RIP MASOOD MALIK

Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad

03335363248

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

He was a man of integrity, an uncompromised journalist, a down-to-earth professional, a committed unionist, a role model in his field, a workaholic writer whose staple diet was offering prayers and recitation of Quraan, a caring husband and an illustrious father, once the head of premier state-run news agency APP, and an erudite editor of many national newspapers.

He was Masood Malik- whose’ contagious smile remained intact until he slipped into the deadly tentacles of cancer before he left this world to meet his maker on the International Human Rights Day (December 10, 2019) - just to give an intimation to his hundreds of mourning fellows, disciples and relatives that it’s not the fame but ‘the care for others’ that stays behind forever.   

 

Started his career in 1974 from a daily ‘Tameer’, Massod Malik later joined PPI, Daily Nawa-e-Waqt (Chief Reporter), Daily Express (Editor), Daily Ausaf (Managing Editor), Daily Dunya (Editor) and later in 2015 he was appointed as Managing Director (MD) of APP. Meanwhile he ran his own Daily ‘Islamabad Times’. All through his exalted career, he remained an ideological journalist and an upright officer with flawless character.   

Having luminous career spanning over 4 decades, Masood Malik belongs to that rare breed of journalists who has answered my FAQ silently, before his disappearance that “who is the role model in our whole media industry”?

On and off, I have had chit-chat with this thorough gentleman on various events informally when I was associated with Daily Times/ Pakistan Today. In 2013, I met Masood Malik officially when he joined Daily Dunya as its Resident Editor. During his stint at Dunya, I found him courteous to staff members, dedicated to organization and humble to each lower staff.

He defies the dictator President. Gen. Pervez Musharraf when his contemporaries dare not. Malik stole the limelight in Musharraf despotic era as he asked a pinching question in a Presser from the dictator which made him torrid to an extent that Malik was shown the doors from his working organization. Later his movement was restrained and put under surveillance- a brutal act whose’ impact surrounded Malik’s head and heart until he breathed his last. The Special Court after a week time of Masood Malik’s death (Dec10) awarded death-penalty to Musharraf (Dec17) in a high-treason case. 

For the last many years, I’ve been debating the difference between Urdu and English journalism and its working environment prioritizing English journalism for many reasons. However, as soon as Masood Malik appointed as Resident Editor of Daily Dunya, this debate suddenly stood nowhere as I found him a through professional, soft-spoken and friendly-natured. 

I distinctly remember the day when I filed my first exclusive story (in Urdu) about mismanagement of Quaid-i-Azam University (in 2012-13). After seven years spent in English journalism, it was a bit difficult for a rookie to compose Urdu story. However, while finishing the story I made a call to QAU vice chancellor for the version. We had a long chat on the issue but at the end VC stopped me giving his official version saying ‘This conversation is off the record’.

Now I was in a state of confusion what to do. Meanwhile, Masood Malik while hovering around in reporting room asked me ‘Han Mahtab, Aaj kia dy rahay ho’? I told him about QAU mismanagement exclusive story. He said OK, and left the spot moving to his room. Now it was not possible for me to stop the story neither to file it. I thought a bit and then started winding up the story “...While talking to this scribe, QAU VC on condition of not to be named said …”and file the story. As soon as this story reached to Malik sb, he could not stop laughing. Malik sb, later on, many a times recalled this (style of version) of story and kept on smiling.

Smile was his trademark. And I often had seen him smiling in pressure situations. On one Friday, Malik told me to join him at Preston University on a seminar on “Role of Journalism in Disaster Management’ where he was invited as a chief guest. I reached there few minutes ago before Malik concluded his lecture. He said “the floor is open for all, you may ask questions’? I raised my hand from the rare seats and promptly ask the question referring destruction of Atta Abad Lake and Raymond Davis incident (recently occurred)… Sir, as media plays a role of “watchdog” why it was unable to pass on information (of these incidents) in real-time, was that due to lack of media access, or it was controlled, or “gate-keeping theory” was applied? He smiled and agreed with me saying yes; sometime, like other factors, like the influentials’ do control the media. I promptly raised my hand again. But this time Malik smiled back and said in a low voice “Yar… tum baaki sawalat daftar pohnch ky kar laina, main bhi idhar sy sidha daftar hi jaoon ga, chalo, shabash, baki bachy bachion ko sawal karny do”. I got embarrassed but found everybody laughing in the auditorium. Later, Malik shared this incident with office colleagues and kept smiling for a long time.

Tariq Aziz, a senior journalist and one of Masood Malik’s close associate, in retrospect, says that “Malik was one of the fearless journalists who defied the oppressor of the time- Gen. (R) Pervez Musharraf. Later, Malik was tortured financially as well as mentally to an extent that he could not be able to break the shell of that trauma for the rest of his life”. Aziz continued, “Malik sb was my mentor, boss, and more than this he was like my elder brother. He taught me the methodology and techniques of journalism that one could not find in text-books. He was humble, sympathetic, chic and always in hurry to help others. May Allah give him superlative spot in heaven.”

In 2015, when Masood Malik was appointed as Managing Director (MD) of APP, I visited him frequently. In one meeting, he asked me about his assignment given to me many months ago. Few months ago Malik told me one of his relative is waiting for degree from AIOU and requested to do it. I told Malik it needs Rs. 2800/- to get the DMC. He gave me three notes of 1000. Few days after, Eid holidays started and those 3000 were consumed by me.

After resumption of office, Malik asked me laughing “Mahtab, ki kita ee meray kam da, Eid ty kha pi ty nahi gia 3000”. I smiled in response as he understood. Months later, in his office at APP, I called him to inform about the task and handing over the documents, he told me he is on way to airport for an official visit to Singapore but told to pass on those documents to Zahid Baloch.

Zahid Baloch, a young energetic journalist is another close associate of Malik. Baloch who considered Malik as his mentor was in anguish as we both reach to graveyards (H-11 and H-8) on the night of December 10. Sharing memories with Malik wrapped in trance, Baloch said “Malik sb was my mentor, my benefactor. In his last days, he used to call me and kiss my hand, I promptly ask… what’s you doing Malik sb and in reply he always said, “Thank you for your help. You are like my real sons. Thank you for everything.”

I told Baloch, I’ve been a frequent visitor of these two graveyards, not because my brother and my father is resting here but also it was Malik sb who assigned me to do write-ups for the legends who are buried here.

It was a day, when Malik as Editor of Dunya, called me in his room and said, “Yar hamary pages main koi ronak nahi hay. I want to see few of features or surveys/ write-ups on these pages. What you suggest”? In response, I told him there exists few of historical and cultural sites, we can file feature or write-up on these sites on a weekly basis- and not on daily basis, because these are not in great numbers. Malik looked upon Sami Ibrahim (who was sitting next to him and was a part of Dunya News at that time). I told Malik there are few of many legendary figures living in CDA graveyards (of H-8 and H-11), if you agree upon, I may file a write-up on each person taking pictures of grave, epitaph (Katba) and then would get the views from the relative(s) or associate(s) of the deceased. Malik nodded in affirmation and said, “OK… do it”.

From the very next day I started spending my day-time at H-8 and H-11 graveyards. Within first ten days, I filed a number of write-ups with the title “Katba Kahani” of Qudrat-ullah Shahab, Mumtaz Mufti, Altaf Gauhar, Maulana Kausar Niazi, Josh Malihabadi, Mansha Yad, Tufail Niazi, Perveen Shakir, Brig. Sadeeq Salik, Ahmed Faraz and there was never ending list….!!!  

I continued to write “Katba Kahani” for almost three and half months (on regular basis). Its feedback was immense as much as a lot of people contacted me with a request to publish ‘Katba Kahani’ associated to their deceased relative(s). Few of them came to my office with the pictures of grave and gravestone and hand-written profile, of which I never denied to file.

Fast forwarding, ultimately, a day comes that put an end to this series. After months, I went to H-8 graveyard just to say thanks to Razzaq sb (Assistant. Director, Graveyard Services). Walking on the track between the graves, all of a sudden I spotted a “Katba” bearing name of Masood Malik. My first reaction was, “it must be of that renowned ghazal singer (hum tum hon gay badal ho ga fame)”. I came closer and started reading. Paying tribute to his sentimental voice a one liner “Jo apni awaz ki ghambrita mein amr ho gia” inscribed on the epitaph was enough for confirmation.

Instead of stepping towards the office of Razzaq sb, I went to office and started writing the “Katba Kahani” of a legendary ghazal singer Masood Malik. It was published in Daily Dunya on March 13, 2013. Next morning around 7am, my cell phone bell started ringing. It was Masood Malik- my Editor’s call. As I receive the call, Malik sb first laughed and then swung to serious mood said, “Ajj kis py likh dia hay? Fajr ki namaz parhty hi mujhy calls ani start ho gai hain. Log pooch rahay han… Malik sb tusi theek ty ho? Ajj di Katba Kahani parhan dy foran bad tuwanu call kar ray an…” he kept on talking. I replied, “Oho … Malik sb.. It’s about a ghazal singer Masood Malik… who sung that “hum tum hon gay badal ho ga, and lay ga or kia zaalim, imtihan sheeshy ka….”, Malik interrupted me using Urdu, “Bus.. ab bohat ho gaya, qabaristano sy niklo, or zinda logo pay likhna shuru karo”. Before he disconnected the call, I said in a low voice hoping he would not listen my words, “Malik sb… zinda log is kabil kahan hain, kay unpy kuch likha ja saky”, but Malik understood my murmuring well and started laughing again.

Shahzad Farooqi, another senior journalist told this scribe that though he is not Malik’s contemporary, but he was blessed to spent major chunk of his life with him. “I’m still in trauma and it will take ages, perhaps never, to recover this loss. I want to write something about Masood Malik, but I am not in a state of mind to even adjoin words to do it. I’m in pain, he said. He, indeed, was from a rare breed of journalists who could not be forgotten, Farooqi maintained.    

 

Now, as I’m standing in front of his grave, shower rose-petals and offer the Fatiha, I gaze his grave. And suddenly a voice whispers with the same words- “Bus... ab bohat ho gaya, qabaristan sy niklo, or zinda logo pay likhna shuru karo”. “Malik sb… zinda log is kabil kahan hain, kay unpy kuch likha ja saky”, with the same answer, I move out the raod, leaving Masood Malik smiling again in the air of Heaven.