Pakistani-Canadian author Tarek Fatah passes away at 73 after prolonged illness

Born in Karachi, Pakistan before emigrating to Canada in 1987, Fatah was an award-winning reporter, columnist, and radio and television commentator.

Pakistani-Canadian columnist Tarek Fatah passed away on Monday after a prolonged battle with Cancer, his daughter Natasha Fatah, who herself is a journalist, shared the news.

Pakistani-Canadian columnist Tarek Fatah (Shankar Mourya/HT photo)

"Lion of Punjab. Son of Hindustan. Lover of Canada. Speaker of truth. Fighter for justice. Voice of the down-trodden, underdogs, and the oppressed. Tarek Fatah has passed the baton on... his revolution will continue with all who knew and loved him. Will you join us? 1949-2023," Natasha tweeted.

Born in Karachi, Pakistan before emigrating to Canada in 1987, Fatah was an award-winning reporter, columnist, and radio and television commentator, both in Canada and abroad, with a huge social media following, according to Toronto Sun.

Fatah, who died at 73, was a political activist, a fierce defender of human rights and a staunch opponent of religious fanaticism in any form, nothing scared Tarek Fatah.

As a secular Muslim who authored books titled The Jew is Not My Enemy: Unveiling the Myths that Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism and Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State, Tarek was never deterred by controversy.

On the contrary, he would dive right in.

As one of many examples, he was a fierce critic of Pakistan and an advocate for the Baloch separatist movement, fighting for an independent Balochistan state.

Expressing his condolences over the death of the columnist, "Kashmir Files" film director Vivek Agnihotri tweeted, "There was one and only @TarekFatah- daring, funny, knowledgable, sharp thinker, great orator and a fearless fighter. Tarek, my brother, it was a delight to have you as a close friend. Will you be able to rest in peace? Om Shanti." (ANI)