Tariq Aziz Passed away on 17 Jun 2020

Tariq Aziz s/o Mian Abdul Aziz born on 28 April 1936 at Jalandhar (British India). His family had come from India during partition and settled in Sahiwal.  His father used to write Pakistani with his name ten years before Pakistan independence. He spent his childhood in Chak 142 / 9L Sahiwal and received his early education in Sahiwal. He then started his professional life with Radio Pakistan Lahore. When Pakistan Television came into being in 1964, Tariq Aziz was the first male announcer of PTV. However, his stage show “Neelam Ghar, launched in 1975, took him to the heights of fame, which were later renamed as Tariq Aziz Show and Bazm-e-Tariq.

He has also acted in movies and other TV programs. His first film was Insaniyat (1967). His other famous films include Salgarah (1969), Qasam is waqt ki, Katari, Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan, Har Gaya Insan. His movie Saligrha (1969) became very famous and received 2 Nigar Award for 1969.  He also received many awards for his artistic services and was awarded the Medal “Pride of Performance” by Government of Pakistan in 1992.  

He was from one of first anchors who gained commercial victory after using platform of quiz show Neelam Ghar/Tariq Aziz Show. In his shows, he interviewed many notable intellectuals, celebrities, and sportspersons. Hosting skills of Tariq Aziz made him household name in country during past four decades. His starting dialogue in his show that is “ dakhaiti Ankhoon Sunaty qanoon aapko Tariq Aziz ka Salam” was very famous within country.             

Tariq Aziz started his political career during college days after joining Pakistan Peoples Party in 1970. He was called a "firebrand socialist" in these days and recognized for charging up the processions with innovative slogans in rallies of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Later he separated himself from the party and rejoined back entertainment field. Tariq Aziz joined Pakistan Muslim League (N) in 1996, and was elected member of National Assembly. He was one of the political activists who were charged with attacking Supreme Court building in 1997.

During Pervez Musharraf's period, he joined his Pakistan Muslim League (Q) however, he could not attain any status in party and was retained sidelined therefore he again, joined entertainment industry. However, his career in entertainment industry could not reach peaks of fame like 1960s, 1970s and 1980s due to competition by many private TV channels after 2002.

Tariq Aziz was book-lover and also was well in reciting poetry. He had also himself was a great poet of Urdu and Punjabi Languages. In 2018, a English-language Pakistani newspaper gave report about an interview taken from him that Tariq Aziz intimated that having children or no children is desire of Allah and since he has no own kids, he would like to give all his assets for welfare of country since he won the hearts of many after announcing his will surely is example for all in the country.  On 17 Jun 2020, he expired in a hospital at Lahore due to illness for long time.