Revisiting Pakistan’s Left—VI

Journalism & Legacy of Resistance 

Since it is plain that the charges against Progressive Papers were fabricated, and would have been thrown out of court even by a third class magistrate gifted with a modicum of honesty and elementary knowledge of legal procedures, the Ayub government’s action, and the kangaroo court which authenticated it, can only be viewed as a medieval auto da-fe, because the only complaint which had validity was that those who owned, managed and guided The Pakistan Times and its sister papers did not share the regime’s faith in its dictatorship, and for this lack of faith they were punished—Ayub’s attack of Progressive Papers, excerpts from an article published on February 7, 1970 in Forum, a political weekly published from Dhaka by Mazhar Ali Khan, reproduced in Dawn on November 13, 2017 

“Successive governments have extolled the role of the Press as an essential pillar of democracy and upheld its independence in their rhetoric, but in reality, each one of them has looked upon the Press as a body of recalcitrant subjects that are under-developed, irresponsible and given to vulgarity—The Noose Tightens, I A Rehman, Newsline, September 1998  

It is perhaps most appropriate to begin a discussion of progressive journalism in Pakistan with the words of Husain Naqi, one of the most respected journalists of our time and a living witness to the long struggle against undemocratic forces and for press freedom.  

Reflecting on his career in his recently published autobiography [Mujh Se Jo Ho Saka], Hussain Naqi observes that journalism in Pakistan has never been merely a profession; it has been a continuing struggle to defend democratic values and the public’s right to know. His own journey—from the early days of the Pakistan Times to the Punjabi daily Sajjan, from the weekly Viewpoint to leadership roles in the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)—illustrates the courage required to practice independent journalism in an environment often hostile to dissent.

This article does not attempt to present a general history of the Pakistani press. Its purpose is more specific: to examine the role of Left-leaning journalists, progressive press institutions and journalists’ trade unions in resisting authoritarian rule and defending democratic freedoms. 

The late journalist Zamir Niazi in his seminal book Press in Chains documented the systematic nature of media control in Pakistan. Zamir Niazi meticulously recorded how successive governments sought to regulate public discourse through censorship orders, “press advice” directives and administrative pressure on newspaper owners. 

The Civil and Military Gazette (CMG), published from Lahore from 1872 to 1963, was a major English-language daily in British India and later Pakistan. Founded as a British colonial paper—Rudyard Kipling served as an assistant editor (1882–1887)—it became a key training ground for professionals who later championed progressive causes in Pakistani media, such as at The Pakistan Times. The CMG nurtured many seasoned Left-leaning journalists of Pakistan.    

Progressive Papers and the intellectual foundations

Mian Iftikharuddin laid the institutional foundations of progressive journalism in Pakistan with the creation of Progressive Papers Limited (PPL) in February 1947. Through publications such as The Pakistan Times, Imroze and Lail-o-Nehar, Progressive Papers provided a platform for some of the most distinguished intellectuals and journalists of the period. 

Among the editors having Left-leanings associated with progressive tradition of PPL were Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Mazhar Ali Khan, Syed Sibte Hassan, Chiragh Hasan Hasrat, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Zaheer Babar, I A Rehman, Aziz Siddiqui, Hameed Jhelmi [Abdul Hameed] and Hameed Akhtar.  

The association of literary stalwarts such as Ahmad Bashir and Abdullah Malik with PPL showed how journalism combined literary sophistication with political commitment, reflecting the broader intellectual influence of the Progressive Writers’ Movement.  

History of PPL, progressive journalists and staff members nurtured by it is available in many online articles. The number of journalist trained in PPL is overwhelming large, and includes many illuminating stars. 

The same progressive tradition in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, till independence in 1971, is worth documenting in a separate project. Prominent journalist of Left among others were Shahidullah Kaiser, Nizamuddin Ahmed, Selina Parvin and Altaf Mahmud, who were killed by armed forces in December 1971. The work of Neville Anthony Mascarenhas is also worth reading covering the massacres.

State control and the refusal of Mazhar Ali Khan 

The independence of the progressive press faced its first major challenge during the military regime of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, when the government took control of Progressive Papers Limited and converted it into a state-managed trust.

According to accounts widely remembered within journalistic circles, Altaf Gauhar, who oversaw the regime’s information apparatus, met Mazhar Ali Khan and tried to persuade him to continue working under the new arrangement. Mazhar Ali Khan refused, declining to legitimise a system that compromised editorial independence. His decision symbolised an early assertion of journalistic integrity against state control.

Apart from PPL, several editors across Pakistan’s major newspapers helped shape the country’s democratic and progressive journalistic traditions. Among the most respected names are Ahmad Ali Khan of Dawn, M. A. Zuberi of Business Recorder, Aziz Siddiqui of Frontier Post, and Zafar Iqbal Mirza (ZIM) and A. T. Chaudhry of The Muslim. Their editorial leadership helped establish professional standards that defended the independence of journalism.

Musawat and the socialist press tradition

The rise of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the late 1960s produced another important platform for progressive journalism in the form of the newspaper Musawat. The paper became a training ground for a generation of journalists influenced by socialist ideas.

Among those associated with Musawat with Leftist-leanings were Safdar Mir (Zeno), Munoo Bhai, Shafqat Tanvir Mirza, Hanif Ramay, Abbas Athar, Nasir Zaidi and Khawar Naeem Hashmi (both awarded lashed by Zia’s military court), Azad Kasuri and Ahmad Saleem, whose political commentary reflected a commitment to democratic accountability and social justice. 

Sajjan and Punjabi progressive journalism

An important experiment in regional progressive journalism was the Punjabi daily Sajjan, launched by Zafaryab Ahmad and edited by Husain Naqi in the late 1980s.

As the first Punjabi daily published in the Shahmukhi script, Sajjan attempted to bring journalism to readers in their mother tongue and to expand democratic discourse beyond the Urdu-and- English-speaking elite.

Although the paper survived only a few years due to financial constraints, it represented a significant attempt to democratise the language of journalism.

Women’s valiant struggle

The progressive tradition in Pakistani journalism also owes much to the work of women journalists, editors and investigative reporters. The Karachi-based magazines Herald and Newsline became one the most influential platforms for investigative journalism in the country.

Under Razia Bhatti, the Herald was transformed from a society publication into a serious news magazine known for fearless reporting on politics, human rights and civil liberties.  

After her departure in 1988, Sherry Rehman served as Editor-in-Chief for about a decade, maintaining Herald’s reputation for investigative journalism.  

Beena Sarwar, journalist, artist and filmmaker focusing on human rights, media and peace, was among many others who waged relentless struggle for democracy, peace and human rights.  

Trade unions and the struggle of journalists

The story of progressive journalism cannot be separated from the history of journalists’ trade unions. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) during Zia-ul- Haq despotic rule, under the leadership of Minhaj Barna and Nisar Osmani, emerged as one of the most important democratic institutions within Pakistan’s media sector. 

For progressive journalists, press freedom was inseparable from the struggle for economic justice within media organisations. Without job security and fair wages, editorial independence could not be sustained.

Resistance during the Zia dictatorship

The confrontation between journalists and the state reached its most dramatic phase during the dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq (1977–1988). Martial law regulations imposed severe restrictions on newspapers and journalists. Publications were censored, editors threatened and reporters arrested for defying official directives.

The response of journalists was extraordinary. Under the leadership of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and figures such as Minhaj Barna, journalists launched a nationwide movement for press freedom. Among those who played prominent roles in this struggle were Nisar Osmani, Hussain Naqi, and several other journalists who refused to submit to censorship.

The confrontation reached a shocking climax when for the first time in the subcontinent’s history, four journalists—Masudullah Khan, Iqbal Jafri, Khawar Naeem Hashmi and Nisar Zaidi—awarded punishment of lashes. The public flogging under martial law regulations was an unprecedented event in modern journalistic history. 

Among those who suffered repression during this period was Amin Mughal, a respected journalist and progressive political activist who was arrested and eventually forced into exile.

Viewpoint and the culture of dissent

In this atmosphere of repression, independent publications became essential spaces for intellectual resistance. One of the most influential was the weekly Viewpoint edited by Mazhar Ali Khan.

The magazine brought together a remarkable group of journalists and intellectuals, including I. A. Rehman, Zafar Iqbal Mirza (ZIM), Tahir Mirza, Amin Mughal, Husain Naqi, Shafqat Tanvir Mirza, Alys Faiz and Khawar Mumtaz. For many journalists of that period including this author, Viewpoint represented not simply a publication but an intellectual community committed to democratic values—some details are available in ‘Adieu, ZIM: unique sufi of our time’. 

Regional voices and democratic journalism

Beyond the major metropolitan newspapers, the regional press also played a significant role in sustaining democratic discourse. Balochistan has produced journalists whose courage and intellectual independence deserve recognition in any survey of progressive media in Pakistan. 

Among them, Siddiq Baloch stands out as one of the most respected voices of the province. Born in Lyari, Karachi, in 1940, he spent more than five decades in journalism and became editor-in-chief of the English daily Balochistan Express and the Urdu newspaper Azadi.  

Journalists such as Ali Ahmed Brohi (1920–2003) in Sindh, Ajmal Khattak (1925–2010), Hayatullah Khan (1976–2006), Wali Khan Babar (1984–2011), Janullah Hashimzada (1970–2015), Sanna Ejaz and many others highlighted issues of democratic rights, freedom of Press, social justice and political repression.

Contemporary challenges

The challenges facing journalism today are not entirely different from those confronted by earlier generations. Pakistan’s media continues to struggle with two interconnected issues: economic justice within media organisations and the defence of the constitutional right to freedom of expression.

New forms of regulation, including laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA), have raised concerns about digital censorship and the shrinking space for independent journalism.

Conclusion

From the takeover of Progressive Papers Limited under Ayub Khan to the harsh censorship regime of General Zia-ul-Haq, the history of Pakistan’s press reveals a persistent struggle between authoritarian power and independent journalism. 

The refusal of Mazhar Ali Khan to legitimise state control over The Pakistan Times symbolised an early assertion of editorial integrity. Later generations of journalists—among them Nisar Osmani, Hussain Naqi, I. A. Rehman, Shafqat Tanvir Mirza and many others—continued this tradition of resistance even when repression reached unprecedented levels, including the public flogging of journalists during the press freedom movement. 

Publications such as Viewpoint became intellectual refuges where critical debate could survive despite censorship and intimidation. In many ways, progressive journalism emerged as the last institutional space through which democratic and progressive ideas could continue to reach the public after student unions were banned and political organisations weakened. 

The courage of these journalists ensured that the culture of dissent in Pakistan did not disappear, even in the darkest periods of its political history. The history of progressive journalism in Pakistan demonstrates that the Left was never confined to political parties or intellectual debates alone. Through newspapers, magazines and journalists’ unions, progressive journalists helped sustain a culture of democratic dissent even during periods of authoritarian rule. Their struggle reminds us that the defence of press freedom is inseparable from the broader struggle for democracy, social justice and constitutional governance.

The next part will cover labour movements and trade union politics. It will examine in some detail the working-class foundations of the Left in Pakistan.

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Dr. Ikramul Haq, Advocate Supreme Court, Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), member Advisory Board and Visiting Senior Fellow of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), holds LLD in tax laws. He was full-time journalist from 1979 to 1984 with Viewpoint and Dawn. He also served Civil Services of Pakistan from 1984 to 1996.