SUJAWAL: Seasoned Journalist and Columnist Nawaz Sheikh, who dedicated more than three decades of his life to journalism, is now battling multiple health complications and abject poverty. According to family sources, Sheikh has been suffering from stomach and throat infections, making it hard for him to speak. “Following the infection, he has turned weak and is unable to walk,” disclosed Kousar Abbas, his nephew, adding that his uncle did journalism throughout his life with outright dignity and honesty.

Sixty-eight-year-old Nawaz Sheikh started his journalistic career in 1989 as a reporter for the Sindhi daily newspaper Jago from the coastal town of Jati in the district. In 1992, he was beaten black and blue by some goons in the middle of Jati, reportedly on the behest of a local feudal lord who was annoyed with his dynamic reporting. This incident drew large-scale public attention, and the then opposition leader in the National Assembly, Benazir Bhutto, quoted this incident in her speech. Besides that, Sheikh faced political victimization, including illegal detention, murder attempts and registration of cases against him.

After Jago, he was part of various Sindhi dailies as a correspondent, including Daily Sujag, Sobh, Awami Awaz and Sindh Express. His colleagues Haji Zahid Ishaque Somro, Ramzan Memon, Saifullah Junejo, among others, praised his journalistic contributions to society. “Sheikh is still a labourer; he is still living in a thatched hut; he never compromised on his principles and used journalism as a tool for change and equality,” said Zahid Ishaque Somro.

Mahtab Shah, Saifullah Junejo, Ramzan Memon, among others, revealed that due to his dynamic style of journalism, several local politicians, bureaucrats and feudal lords became his foes and subjected him to harassment and social victimization, but he never budged from his stance. They urged the Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, to intervene and take measures for his treatment.