Srinagar, March 7: Veteran Kashmiri journalist and Chief Editor of the Urdu daily Nidai Mashriq, Abdul Rashid Shah, passed away in Srinagar early Saturday after a prolonged battle with pulmonary ailments. He was 78.

With his demise, Kashmir’s journalistic community has lost one of its steadfast voices, a man who spent decades documenting the political, social and emotional realities of the region through the power of the written word.

Born in June 1948 in Chinkral Mohallah, Habba Kadal in old Srinagar, Shah began his professional career with the State Information Department. In 1992, he resigned from the government job to establish the Urdu daily Nidai Mashriq. Despite limited resources, the newspaper gradually created its own space among the Urdu publications of Srinagar.

Earlier in his career, Shah also worked with Daily Alsafa as a part-time editor and earned respect for his balanced editorial approach and deep understanding of Kashmir’s socio-political realities.

One of the distinctive features of his journalistic career was his handwritten editorials, which carried the sentiments, concerns and aspirations of Kashmiri society during difficult times. His writings reflected the voice of a sensitive observer who closely followed the changing circumstances of his homeland.

Shah’s career also witnessed challenging moments. In 1995, he was among three journalists abducted from the Press Enclave in Srinagar by the pro-government militia Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon led by Kukka Parray, an incident that deeply disturbed the journalist fraternity in Kashmir.

In April 2001, he was part of the media delegation accompanying then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his official visit to Iran, representing the Kashmiri press on an international platform.

In his later years, Shah continued to guide the newspaper despite the many challenges faced by smaller publications in the evolving media environment. His son Haroon Rashid has been associated with the paper and continues the effort to keep the publication running.

News of his demise has been received with grief across Kashmir’s media circles, with journalists and members of civil society remembering him as a committed editor and a dedicated voice of Urdu journalism.

His Nimaz-e-Janaza will be offered at Jamia Masjid Bagh-e-Mahtab after Zuhr prayers today.

The QNSTv team and its Editor-in-Chief, Meer Altaf Hussain, have expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Abdul Rashid Shah and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, particularly to his son Haroon Rashid. They prayed that Almighty Allah forgives his shortcomings, accepts his good deeds and grants him the highest place in Jannah.