We are saddened by the passing of Nadia Faisal

PAKISTAN, KARACHI, August 27 – The Coalition For Women In Journalism is saddened by the passing of our colleague, senior Pakistani entertainment and lifestyle journalist Nadia Faisal.

Nadia died after a year-long battle with cancer on August 27. The journalist was a part of Pakistan’s electronic media boom. When Indus Vision, Pakistan’s first satellite channel, launched in 2000, she joined the channel as a producer. She also doubled as a video jockey for Indus, becoming Pakistan’s first female VJ in the process. Nadia largely pursued a career in entertainment and lifestyle journalism.

In 2007, Nadia joined GEO English – a local English channel, as the head of entertainment and lifestyle. She continued to act as a reporter covering a range of fashion, entertainment and lifestyle stories. In 2015, GEO English shut down, and Nadia and her colleagues were transferred to the Urdulanguage entertainment and lifestyle desk at GEO News.

Nadia later briefly worked with another local channel, Bol News, as a news editor; however, she soon rejoined GEO television, where she continued covering entertainment, culture and lifestyle.

Lovingly referred to as Nieni by family, friends and colleagues, Nadia fell sick last year, but only her family and close friends knew about her deteriorating health. She was revered as a capable entertainment journalist in the industry and many among her colleagues remember her as a vibrant and kind personality.

Her husband, Faisal Rafi – who works as a music producer, director and writer - shared the news of his wife’s demise in a tweet: “Dear friends and colleagues, my wife Nadia Faisal who most of you knew as Nieni passed away today after a long struggle with cancer, will share funeral details soon, please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.”

Hussain Dada, a Pakistani journalist and our #HeForShe member, worked with Nadia at GEO English as a reporter. He remembers her as a hardworking and dedicated professional - some who broke the stereotype of the “bossy” woman leading a team.

“Reporting for GEO English was my first job and I was working under Nadia’s supervision. Normally, we hear that women make bossy and difficult team leads, but Nadia squashed that idea. She was firm yet gentle and allowed her colleagues to experiment. I remember when GEO English was shut down and we were sent to the Urdu desk. She was initially not so fluent with writing and speaking Urdu, but she learnt and made sure it didn’t affect the quality of her work. She was known for writing and speaking well, and delivered her voice overs brilliantly,” he recalls.

Her dedication to her work inspired her team. “She would cover fashion shows late at night and ensure that the video packaged was submitted and broadcast on time. If it meant she had to stay at work late, she did it,” Hussain said.

Our love and condolence goes out to Nadia’s family and friends. Her death will not only leave a gap in the lives of those who knew her and worked with her, but also in the field she contributed to throughout her career.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ.

Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org