JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 05, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD - Rehmat Shah Afridi is still thinking and planning to revive Frontier Post, the only English newspaper brought out from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, the owner of Frontier Post who now lives in Lahore gave an account of how he started the paper, how he suffered losses and served time in prison. Afridi also talked about his days in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion.
“Today the chain smoker Rehmat Shah Afridi is reviewing his successes and failures in Lahore,” says the article-cum-interview by Haroon Rashid. It adds: “He seems to be constantly thinking about reviving Frontier Post.”
The article carries a current picture of Afridi when he was in jail and one with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Afridi gives all credit for making Frontier Post a respected name for bold reporting against the military government of Ziaul Haq to its first editor – Aziz Siddiqui. “I knew respected journalists in 1970s, including Faiz Ahmed Ahmed. I was close to Wali family. Ghani Khan would also help me to bring out a newspaper in Urdu. After the arrest of ZA Bhutto, I was not happy with the role of media,” Afridi recalls the people and events that helped bring out Frontier Post.
Initially, he took the declaration of Urdu newspaper, Maidan. However, a senior journalist Murtaza advised to bring out an English newspaper. The friendship of Murtaza with then Governor Lt Gen Fazl-e- Haq helped to get the declaration for Frontier Post easily.
On 25 February 1985, the publication of Frontier Post started. “I heard everybody, including Faiz sb, praising the work of Aziz Siddiqui. He had served as assistant editor in Pakistan Times.”
Afridi says he has never seen a powerful writer like Aziz. “A man of character and a saint, I would say.”
Afridi met Aziz in Dubai and asked him to come to Peshawar, which he did. “I gave him a home, two servants and two cars. He returned one of the cars and kept the old one. He also returned the servants, saying his wife is a very good cook.”
When Aziz was asked about salary, he demanded Rs11000. Afridi offered Rs25000. Finally, they settled on Rs15000 per month salary of the first editor of Frontier Post.
“All the credit of making Frontier Post a respected name goes to Aziz and his team. They worked honestly and hard.”
But the editorial direction of the paper brought difficult days. “Yes, the news was against Fazl-e-Haq and Ziaul Haq. I was banned from all government offices and the paper did not get any government ads.”
But he added he could not ignore the incidents like the Ojheri Camp blast in Rawalpindi in 1988. “I bought the arms stolen from the camp and the news was published. Of course, the general (Zia) did not like the news.”
The article says Afridi was inclined towards Benazir and Pakistan Peoples Party, though the paper would publish news against everybody. Allegedly, according to the article, Nawaz Sharif when he became prime minister offered a deal to Afridi, which was turned down. “When I refused Sharif, I was implicated in drugs case and served more than nine years jail.”
In 2016 the PMLN government cancelled the declaration of Frontier Post in Lahore, saying the owner is convicted. However, Afridi has got the declaration back.
In the end, the article says the story of Afridi is still unfinished, hinting that his dream of reviving Frontier Post may come true.
Photo: Twitter (@REHMATSAFRIDI)
Related stories from JournalismPakistan.com Archives:
Police beat up Frontier Post journalist
April 23, 2025: Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.
April 21, 2025: After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.
April 21, 2025: Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.
April 20, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 22, 2025 Once a beacon of hope for Pakistan's cricket revival, the Pakistan Super League now grapples with stagnation and moral compromises. Can this cultural symbol reclaim its lost soul?
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.