ISLAMABAD: Legendary Pakistani actor, televangelist and author Zia Mohyeddin passed away in Karachi on Monday, the Pakistani ministry of information & broadcasting said, expressing grief over the loss of a “true icon.”
Mohyeddin had been ill and admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in the southern Pakistani port city. He aged 91.
His funeral prayers will be offered at Imambargah Yasrab in Karachi’s Defense Housing Authority Phase 4 this afternoon.
“We mourn the loss of the legendary Zia Mohyeddin, a true icon of Pakistan’s art and culture,” the Pakistani ministry of information & broadcasting said on Twitter.
“He was an intellectual, a great human, and an esteemed friend to many. His contributions to the country and arts will never be forgotten.”
Born in Faisalabad on June 20, 1931, Mohyeddin spent his early life in Lahore and went on to train at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1953 to 1956.
Following his roles in ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ and ‘Julius Caesar,’ he made his West End debut in ‘A Passage to India’ at the Comedy Theatre in 1960.
Mohyeddin, who was also a British national, made his film debut in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ in 1962 and played the role of Tafas.
In Pakistan, he was famous for his blockbuster Pakistan Television (PTV) talk show that was named after him, the Zia Mohyeddin Show, which ran from 1969 till 1973.
Mohyeddin authored three books, namely A Carrot is a Carrot, Theatrics and The God of My Idolatry Memories and Reflections. In mid-2000s, he set up the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi that has trained generations in a variety of performing arts.
Pakistan bestowed Mohyeddin with Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz awards for his remarkable services for TV, film and literature.
