Zafar Iqbal Mirza (1936 - )

Using the pen name, Lahori, Zafar Iqbal Mirza (ZIM for friend and foe) was born in Lahore on August, 9th 1936.

Educated at the Central Model High School and the Government College, Mr. Mirza became a business executive in 1960-1961. In 1962, he joined The Civil and Military Gazette, where he worked for a few months before joining "The Pakistan Times" on 17 October 1962 . He served the paper in several capacities before seeking premature retirement in May 1979. He also moonshined for Mr. Husain Naqi's "Punjab Punch" and the late Mr. Mazhar Ali Khan's weekly "Viewpoint".

He became Editor of "The Muslim", Islamabad , on 15 August 1981 . Before that, he was the paper's Bureau Chief in Lahore for over a year. After resigning from "The Muslim" in September 1982, he rejoined the weekly Viewpoint and, at the same time, was appointed Assistant Editor "Dawn" in 1983 where he worked till 2000 before becoming Resident Editor of the paper's Lahore edition on 15 June the same year. He remained Resident Editor till 2005.

Mr. Mirza also served as a correspondent for The Pakistan Observer, Dhaka , in 1970-71. He also worked as a scriptwriter for Radio Pakistan and for PTV apart from writing for "The Frontier Post", Peshawar .

He did some important translation work for the late Mr. G.M. Syed.

Mr. Mirza has a wide and varied experience in the print and electronic media in a career spanning well over 42 years.