On the occasion of his birth anniversary yesterday, legendary broadcaster, intellectual and progressive thinker Aslam Azhar was remembered for his contributions to art and culture.

Born on September 1, 1932 in Lahore, Aslam Azhar did his bachelor’s from Government College Lahore.

After completion of his Masters in Law degree from the Cambridge University in 1954, Azhar, a man of many talents, joined the Department of Films and Publications as a freelancer.

Azhar, having experience of theatre and broadcasting, was asked on November 26, 1964, to run a three-month first television pilot project in Lahore. The project was a success due to the untiring efforts of Azhar and his team.

He remained associated with the radio and television in various capacities. During the first government of Benazir Bhutto, he was appointed chairman of both Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) and the PTV.

In recognition of his services, the government conferred upon him Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 1968. He died on December 29, 2015 at the age of 83.

In a video message on the occasion of his birth anniversary, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi paid glowing tributes to him saying Aslam Azhar is a big icon of Pakistan's cultural history. He said that he will always be remembered as the builder of PTV and Radio Pakistan.