Mir Khalil ur Rehman
Encyclopedia
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman was the founder and editor of the Jang Group of Newspapers
which has currently grown to be the most popular Urdu
and English newspapers in Pakistan. As a founder of the hugely-circulated Jang Group of newspapers, he is a legend in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate he ranks among the most successful newspaper entrepreneurs in Asia.
, Punjab
, where he received his schooling and college education. Having finished his basic education, he graduated in Accountancy from the Punjab University. During the Second World War, his parents moved to New Delhi, capital of the British Indian Empire. It was here that he discovered his love for journalism. The newspaper world attracted him far more than the dull books of accountancy. He had a passion for reading and writing and a fondness for newspapers and magazines. He sat glued to his radio set, listening to the latest war news.
In 1940, when he was still a student, he started a newspaper for Muslims
in pre-partition Hindustan
fighting in World War II
in Delhi
. He called it the Jang, or War. This was not an exaggerated name as some believed, but a statement against war, and so Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman made it clear that he was doing this for the soldiers and not to encourage the Second World War.
was established on August 14, 1947, Mir Saheb moved to Karachi, capital of the new Muslim State, and started publishing the Daily Jang from there which was funded by a loan of 5000 rupees from Abdul Ghani Barq of Ferozsons Printers. Pakistan's Governor General, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was delighted due to this move and offered the government's help in running it. Mir Saheb however, declined the offer saying that freedom of the press was his motto and the goal for the Fourth pillar of State in Pakistan. Mir Saheb galvanised the press in Pakistan and helped in founding the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE). He opposed tooth and nail any Government measure or action which curbed the freedom of the press in Pakistan.
television channel which has shaped into Pakistan's most popular television channel and its programmes can also be watched in the US and the UK and many parts of the Islamic world..
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman continued to work at the newspaper till his death in 1992.
MKRF is a foundation based on his great activities.
Jang Group of Newspapers
Jang Group of Newspapers is a subsidiary of the Independent Media Corporation. It has its headquartered in Printing House, Karachi...
which has currently grown to be the most popular Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
and English newspapers in Pakistan. As a founder of the hugely-circulated Jang Group of newspapers, he is a legend in Pakistan. A self-made newspaper magnate he ranks among the most successful newspaper entrepreneurs in Asia.
Early life
Mir Khalil ur Rahman was born in 1927 to a middle class family in the town of GujranwalaGujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, where he received his schooling and college education. Having finished his basic education, he graduated in Accountancy from the Punjab University. During the Second World War, his parents moved to New Delhi, capital of the British Indian Empire. It was here that he discovered his love for journalism. The newspaper world attracted him far more than the dull books of accountancy. He had a passion for reading and writing and a fondness for newspapers and magazines. He sat glued to his radio set, listening to the latest war news.
In 1940, when he was still a student, he started a newspaper for Muslims
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in pre-partition Hindustan
Hindustan
Hindustan or Indostan, literal translation "Land of River Sindhu ", is one of the popular names of South Asia. It can also mean "the land of the Hindus"...
fighting in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. He called it the Jang, or War. This was not an exaggerated name as some believed, but a statement against war, and so Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman made it clear that he was doing this for the soldiers and not to encourage the Second World War.
Career
When the creation of the Muslim-majority State of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
was established on August 14, 1947, Mir Saheb moved to Karachi, capital of the new Muslim State, and started publishing the Daily Jang from there which was funded by a loan of 5000 rupees from Abdul Ghani Barq of Ferozsons Printers. Pakistan's Governor General, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was delighted due to this move and offered the government's help in running it. Mir Saheb however, declined the offer saying that freedom of the press was his motto and the goal for the Fourth pillar of State in Pakistan. Mir Saheb galvanised the press in Pakistan and helped in founding the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE). He opposed tooth and nail any Government measure or action which curbed the freedom of the press in Pakistan.
His legacy
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman's legacy in Pakistan is the well established Jang Group of newspapers which are published from all the major cities of Pakistan. His newspaper empire is managed by his two sons, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and Mir Javed-ur-Rahman. Mir saheb personally trained them in the science of newspaper management. As a result, besides expanding the Jang newspaper group, they have added to it a powerful GEOGeo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
television channel which has shaped into Pakistan's most popular television channel and its programmes can also be watched in the US and the UK and many parts of the Islamic world..
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman continued to work at the newspaper till his death in 1992.
MKRF is a foundation based on his great activities.
External links
- http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/spedition/mkr/2009/index.html
- http://www.jang.com.pk/
- http://www.thenews.com.pk/