Lahore (Web Desk): Journalist and human rights activist Ibn Abdur Rehman, known as IA Rehman, passed away at the age of 90 in Lahore on Monday.
According to his family, the late columnist was diabetic and also had blood pressure related complications but the cause of death is unclear.
He was born on September 1930 in Haryana, British India which is now part of India.
Rehman, a distinguished Lahore-based journalist, was involved with journalism for more than 65 years.
During the East Pakistan crisis, he was working as the managing editor of Urdu daily Azad. He served as the executive editor of weekly Viewpoint from 1978 to 19 88.
Rehman worked as editor of the Pakistan Times (1988-1990) before joining the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in the early 90s, first as director and later as secretary general.
He was also a regular columnist for daily Dawn.
Besides working as an activist and journalist, he also authored three books including Jinnah as a Parliamentarian, Arts and Crafts of Pakistan, and Pakistan under Siege, a collection of his own columns.
IA Rehman received the International Nuremberg Human Rights Award in 2003, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in 2004.
Soon after the news of his death, social media flooded with condolence messages.
Shocked and immeasurably saddened to hear of IA Rehman’s passing from Covid! He was an icon of integrity, standing steadfast for every single fundamental right,every single democratic value in the worst of times. Pakistan will not be the same without him. May be rest in peace. ????
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) April 12, 2021
Pakistan’s iconic #IARehman sahib passes away.Innalilahe wa innaelehe rajioon.He was in the vanguard of Pakistan’s democratic struggle, always in the forefront of human rights struggle for Pakistan’s weak& excluded...he was the best of Allah’s Creation... to Him We Shall Return
— Nasim Zehra (@NasimZehra) April 12, 2021
Terrible news. I. A. Rehman -Pakistan's leading human rights defender, veteran journalist and public intellectual -has passed away. He was a mentor to countless rights activists, journalists & civil society leaders. It would be difficult to fill this void.#RIP Rehman Saheb! pic.twitter.com/7bVwI9dIT1
— Raza Ahmad Rumi (@Razarumi) April 12, 2021
إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
— Adil Najam (@AdilNajam) April 12, 2021
RIP Ibn Abdur Rehman (1930-2021)
A giant is no more. He stood for principles, not slogans; stands, not shows. He was our moral compass, our collective conscience.
Thank you #IARehman, for your conviction, your wisdom, your life. pic.twitter.com/kAonGqZQaL
A very sad day for #HumanRights activists. #IARehman was indeed a visionary leader & a mentor. His legacy will continue to guide us in resisting #Pakistan's worst ever #MartialLaw & #HumanRights abuses. Goodbye & #RIPRehman saib. Heartfelt condolences to @HRCP87 & his family. BG https://t.co/JMlflsSZCo
— Bushra Gohar (@BushraGohar) April 12, 2021
Painful to hear that #IARehman sb is no more. He was a voice of reason and intellect, who never shied away from stating facts. @dawn_com and @HRCP87 are poorer today.
— Salman Sufi (Wear a Mask to Keep All Safe) (@SalmanSufi7) April 12, 2021
Rest in peace legendary writer, columnist , IA Rehman Sahb. https://t.co/oCbIAKkKmo
— Progressive Students' Collective Lahore (@PSCLahore) April 12, 2021
This is heartbreaking. The loss of IA Rehman Sb is unbearable. He had been a strong pillar for human rights activists in Pakistan. Can’t imagine a Pakistan without I.A Rehman Sb. https://t.co/b8Ro8PXp1T
— Gulalai Ismail ګلالۍاسماعیل (@Gulalai_Ismail) April 12, 2021
@pressfreedompk pays rich tribunes to iconic #journalist #IARehman who passes away. May his soul rest in peace. He will always be remembered for his resolute belief in #FreeSpeech and always used his pen to highlight increasing #Impunity for crimes against media & #journalists pic.twitter.com/LUEl7vtx7S
— Freedom Network (@pressfreedompk) April 12, 2021
