Professor Shahida Kazi passed away in the Civil Hospital on Saturday afternoon. She was the first female news producer and editor at Pakistan Television, the first female student to complete her master's degree in journalism from the University of Karachi in 1965, a gold medalist from the KU, and a senior journalist. She was also the first female reporter in print media.
The funeral prayers of the late Professor Shahida will be offered at Jamia Masjid Faizan-e-Bismillah, Civil Lines, and will be laid to rest at KU Graveyard.
Shahida Kazi was born in Karachi in 1944 into the distinguished scholar Allama Kazi II's family. Her family is from a village in Sindh that is close to Dadu. She graduated from St. Joseph's College in 1963 after completing her matriculation at St. Lawrence Convent School.
It was easy for her to go to college and finish her higher education since her family supported women's participation in higher education.
In contrast to her female cousins, she declined to pursue a career in medicine and declined to take the Superior Services test.
Although she had an interest in English literature, she decided to apply to the University of Karachi's recently founded journalism department. There, she discovered that not only was she the only female student in the department, but she was also the first woman to be admitted into the journalism field.
The then-city editor of Dawn, one of the top English daily newspapers, made her an offer of employment in 1966.
In addition to being the first woman employed at the time, she had the firm belief that the press played a more important role in reporting than television until the day she passed away. She has also spent 20 years working for Pakistan Television Corporation as a senior news editor and news producer. She also worked for Radio Pakistan.
After retiring from the KU, she went on to work in academia, joining the University of Karachi and also serving a few private sector universities.
Professor Kazi made the decision to stay at home during the COVID-19 epidemic, putting an end to her illustrious and decades-long career, and begin writing memoirs.
She also released her autobiography, "Sweet, Sour, and Bitter: A Life Well Lived," in February of this year at the Karachi Press Club. The event was attended by hundreds of her former students, who are now employed by various media outlets, faculty members from various universities who teach mass communication and journalism, human rights advocates, and seasoned journalists.
Meanwhile, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi expressed his profound sadness and grief over her demise. He described Shahida as a caring instructor, a noblewoman, and a shining example of journalism.