PESHAWAR: Syed Ali Nawaz Gillani, Editor-in-Chief of local Urdu and English dailies and a well-known banker and social personality, passed away early Friday morning at the age of 63. Gillani had suffered a severe heart attack a few days ago and was admitted to a private hospital in Peshawar, where he remained under intensive care. Despite doctors’ efforts, he could not recover and breathed his last on Friday morning. His funeral prayer was offered at Askari-6, Nasar Bagh Road, Peshawar, on Friday evening. A large number of relatives, friends, journalists, and well-wishers attended the Namaz-e-Janaza to pay their respects. DNA
Belonging to a highly respected family of Peshawar, Syed Ali Nawaz Gillani was the son of the late Syed Hasan Gillani, a pioneer journalist from the region who served as Dawn’s correspondent in Peshawar before and after the creation of Pakistan. Later, the elder Gillani founded the Urdu daily Al-Jamiat Sarhad in the mid-1960s.
After completing his education, Ali Nawaz Gillani began his professional career in the mid-1980s with the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan. In 1991, he joined the Bank of Khyber as Executive Vice President, where he headed the Marketing and Public Relations Division for many years before retiring.
Known for his professionalism, humility, and community engagement, Gillani was also actively involved in social and cultural initiatives. He served as the founding President of the Pakistan-China Friendship Association, Pakistan-France Friendship Association, and several other organizations promoting international goodwill. His demise has been widely mourned across journalistic, banking, and social circles.
