VIDEO: Renowned Pakistani TV host Tariq Aziz passes away

Tariq Butt

Renowned radio and television anchor Tariq Aziz passed away in Lahore on Wednesday, his family confirmed. He was 84.

Aziz was born in Jalandhar on April 28, 1936. After partition, his family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Sahiwal, where he received his primary education.

He started his career with Radio Pakistan in the 1960s and later went on to become Pakistan's first television host.

His programme Neelam Ghar - later named Tariq Aziz Show - started in 1974 on Pakistan Television and continued for four decades. He was also a poet and an actor and performed in several radio and television programmes as well as in films.

His first film, Insaniyat, was released in 1967. Other notable titles he acted in include Salgirah, Qasam Us Waqt Ki, Katari and Har Gaya Insan.

For his services to the entertainment industry, he was awarded the prestigious Pride of Performance Award by the government in 1992.

Aziz dabbled in politics as well and was a member of the National Assembly from 1997-99 on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket.

Aziz was Pakistan’s first TV anchor. He was admitted in a private hospital in Lahore last night after feeling critically ill. He suffered a heart attack that proved fatal.