Veteran journalist Muhammad Ziauddin passed away on Monday in Islamabad after a period of prolonged illness. He was 83. State broadcaster Pakistan Television confirmed the news while paying homage to the deceased for his “illustrious career” that spanned 60 years and included extensive contributions for various media outlets. Ziauddin earned a Masters degree in journalism from Karachi University in 1964. Later that same year, he made his entry in the profession as a cub reporter in Pakistan Press International.He then joined Dawn, which formed his longest association, serving as a resident editor for Islamabad and Lahore. He was also the paper’s correspondent in London from 2006 to 2009. Among his other experience in the field, he served as the assistant secretary general for the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and as the president of the South Asia Free Media Association from 2002 to 2006. Condolences poured in from the country’s journalism and media community, with various figures paying their tributes.