LALARUKH, a former Dawn hand and human rights crusader, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a long illness, according to family sources. She was 55.

Educated at St Joseph’s Convent and later at the University of Karachi, where she did her master’s, Lalarukh entered the field of journalism with Pakistan Medical Association’s magazine Medical Gazette and later worked for Pakistan and Gulf Economist. In 1972, she joined newly launched The Sun and later moved to the Jang group, where she worked for Daily News and later became editor of its weekly magazine, MAG. In 1981, she joined Dawn, quit in 1983, edited She magazine and worked for the APP news agency. For a while she taught at the KU’s journalism department.

As a journalist activist she was arrested in 1978 for taking part in the newsmen’s countrywide protest against the closure of Masawat during the military dictatorship. In the nineties, she developed an interest in Dianetics and Church of Scientology. This took her to Los Angeles, where she had been residing since 1997.

Opinion

Editorial

Taliban divisions
Updated 24 Feb, 2025

Taliban divisions

The only workable solution lies in Mullah Akhundzada loosening his iron grip on the country.
Oblivious to drought
24 Feb, 2025

Oblivious to drought

PAKISTAN faces two types of drought: one caused by dry weather or lower-than-normal rainfall, and the other ...
Digital children
24 Feb, 2025

Digital children

AS most parents with young children will agree, the easiest way to pacify a bawling child is to hand them a...
The long wait
Updated 23 Feb, 2025

The long wait

Pakistan’s fundamental problem is that two of its most important leaders still cannot get over themselves.
Defending freedom
23 Feb, 2025

Defending freedom

THERE was no other choice. Despite assurances of consultations with key stakeholders, the government passed the Peca...
Anti-Muslim crimes
23 Feb, 2025

Anti-Muslim crimes

THE surge in Islamophobic assaults in the UK, as reported by the anti-hate crime charity Tell MAMA, is a stark...