LAHORE: Veteran TV actor Jamil Fakhri passed away on Thursday. He left behind a widow and three sons. He was 65.

Fakhri was admitted to Mayo Hospital on May 31 after suffering a stroke that resulted in paralysis.

Many of Fakhri’s close friends believe the death of his young son, Ali Ayaz Fakhri, in the USA a few months back took a heavy toll on the actor’s health and he could not recover from the shock.

Jamil Fakhri was born in Lahore in 1946. After graduation, he joined the National Bank of Pakistan.

He started doing theatre at Wapda Auditorium, Lahore, and at Alhamra with actors like Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, Athar Shah Khan, Ali Ejaz and Nannah. His popular stage plays include Andar Ana Mana Hai, Zuban Daraz and Lahore Bypass.

He was considered among the founding artistes of PTV. Lahore TV producer Yawar Hayat gave him a break in TV plays. His popular TV plays include Tanay Banay, Daldal, Waris, Andhera Ujala, Bandhan and Ek Mauhabat Sau Afsanay.

His role of police inspector Jaffar Husain in PTV play Andhera Ujala became so popular that film director Shabab Kairanvi selected him for big screen.

Fakhri acted in more than 50 films. Muskarhat and Deewanay Do are among his best flicks.

His last play was Dil Day Boohay on PTV in which he acted  on May 22. On May 31st, the day he suffered a stroke, his play Sehra Teri Pyas went on air at a private TV channel.

Fakhri’s old companion Qavi Khan told Dawn by phone from Karachi that with his death a golden chapter of his (Qavi’s) life had ended.

“He would never call me Qavi, he used to call me Khan Baba,” said Qavi Khan in a choked voice. “We had a long association during the recording of Andhera Ujala and I found him a great actor and a sensitive person.”

Irfan Khusat said Jamil was a close friend of him and that he could not say much as he was sitting by the body of Jamil Fakhri.

Tanzeem Butt, a close friend of Fakhri who worked with him in National Bank, said: “He (Fakhri) was a lively person but death of his young son affected his health badly and after that tragic incident he was always in deep thoughts.”

According to Fakhri’s son Ali Ghaus, the funeral of the artiste would be held at 8am on Friday (today) at Qila Luxman Singh and he would be laid to rest at Ilm Din Shaheed compound at Miani Sahib graveyard.