Azhar Lodhi

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Azhar Lodhi was a newscaster and commentator at the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) primarily during 1985-1988. He gained notoriety for his coverage of the funeral procession of the late military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. His histrionics and unabated wailing during the funeral ceremonies earned him the nickname "Dummba" (meaning "sheep" in Urdu, the national language of Pakistan), as his audio coverage of events was felt to be quite similar to the bleating of a sheep in great distress. Due to his ultra-loyal Ziaist alignment, he was sidelined during Benazir Bhutto's first stint in power in 1989. During the second Nawaz Sharif government in 1997, he was made the General Manager of PTV, where he was instrumental in curbing the pop shows on the national TV. He was, however, fired following the military takeover in 1999 by Pervez Musharraf.