Country's most distinguished advertising industry stalwart S.H. Hashmi breathed his last in Karachi on Monday. He was suffering from chronic respiratory disorder but was active professionally until he was admitted to hospital late last week.
His funeral prayers will be offered on Tuesday after Zuhr prayers at Masjid-e-Sultan, Phase V, DHA, Karachi. Hashmi's monumental contribution to the advertising industry was acknowledged in 1997 when the government bestowed upon him the President's Pride of Performance Award, the first such award ever given to an advertising professional.
He was also decorated with one of the highest civilian awards, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, in 2005, in appreciation of his outstanding and life-long service to the nation in fields as diverse as health, education, community welfare, political consciousness and the role of women in society.
S.H. Hashmi was a staunch supporter of literacy and education, art and culture. He contributed toward promotion of education, particularly in the fields of advertising and journalism. His name stands out conspicuously for his untiring efforts for the promotion of Urdu and making the Urdu University a reality. He was thrice elected vice-president of the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi.
He was a Life Member to the board of governors of the Urdu Science College, Urdu Arts College, Baqai Cadet College and Dawood College of Engineering & Technology. He was also on boards of Jinnah University for Women (2003), and Indus Institute of Textile Technology and Management (2002.
Besides, he received the APNS Life Time Achievement Award 2003 in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the print media throughout his professional life. He also received the APNS "Akhbar Dost" Award to acknowledge his outstanding services in the field of advertising and his contribution to the print media throughout his professional life.
The College of Business Management (CBM) conferred on him honorary degree of Master of Philosophy in recognition of his meritorious contribution in the field of education in Pakistan. International Public Relations Association Pakistan awarded the Crown Excellence Award 2004 to Hashmi for his outstanding services in the field of public relations in the country.
On World Public Relations Day in 1992, Senate former chairman Waseem Sajjad conferred on him the Public Relations Society of Pakistan Award.
Hashmi received the FPCCI Special Gold Medal in recognition of his services for advertising industry in Pakistan at the 25th FPCCI Export Trophy Awards Ceremony 2000-01.
He also received The Harrison McCann Leadership Award for consistent industry leadership in Pakistan. His name is included in "Who's Who in the World and 500 leading personalities of the World".
Besides, Hashmi won several other awards including five APNS gold medals, two APNS gold shields of honour, Press Foundation of Asia award, Quaid-e-Azam National award, Pakistan Advertising Pioneer Excellence award, Marketing Association of Pakistan award of excellence, Rotary Club of Karachi Citihills award, Alfalah Educational Society award, Faran Club award, Property of the Nation award, Mehran Academy award, Justice A.R. Cornelins Memorial award and Century award from Islamia University Bahawalpur.
Under his leadership, Pakistan's largest advertising agency, orient stayed on top consequently for twenty years, and winning numerous awards including the APNS Best Business Performance awards (1981-2000).
Orient McCann-Erickson also won the Max Lewis Memorial Challenge award of Asia and International Film and TV Festival award, New York. Orient received 36 excellence awards from the Pakistan Advertising Association (1980-2003), and won two out of six inaugural Aurora awards of Dasn Group of Newspapers in 1992.
With 40 years in the profession, S.H. Hashmi had a rich career. He was elected chairman of the Pakistan Advertising Association for seven consecutive terms (1978-79, 1979-80, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1998-99) and then in 2002-03. In 1996 he was unanimously elected president, International Advertising Association (Pakistan chapter) for the term 1996-98.
He was also the Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Advertising Association and Pakistan Outdoor and Media Advertisers Association.
S.H. Hashmi has remained president of the National Council of Culture and Arts, Syed Suleman Nadvi Educational Society, and Talimul Quran Welfare Society.
He was also vice-president of the Karachi Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami, Karachi Health Association and Arts Council of Pakistan, and senior vice-president of the Karachi City Cricket Association.