Dawn (newspaper) - Early History

Early History

Founded by Mohammad Ali Jinnah on October 26, 1941 as a mouthpiece for the Muslim League, Dawn was originally a weekly publication, published in New Delhi. Jinnah summed up the paper's purpose when he stated:

"The Dawn will mirror faithfully the views of Hindustan's Muslims and the All Hindustan Muslim League in all its activities: economic, educational and social and more particularly political, throughout the country fearlessly and independently and while its policy will be, no doubt, mainly to advocate and champion the cause of the Muslims and the policy and programme of the All Hindustan Muslim League, it will not neglect the cause and welfare of the peoples of this sub-continent generally".

Dawn became a daily newspaper in October 1942 under the leadership of its first editor, Pothan Joseph. In 1944 Altaf Husain took over as the editor and brought nationwide awareness of its daily circulation. After the creation of Pakistan, Hussain moved the newspaper to the then federal capital, Karachi. Under the instruction of the owner, Mr. Jinnah, it became the official organ of the Pakistan Muslim League in Delhi, and the sole voice of the Muslims in English language, reflecting and espousing the cause of the Muslims of India. Hussain, as the journal's editor, galvanised the Muslims of India by his editorials, which earned him wrath of the Congress Party as well as Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy and Governor General of the British Raj.

In 1947, senior Dawn staff led by Altaf Husain set off for Karachi to launch a local edition starting August 15, 1947. Under Yusuf Haroon a close confidant of Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was given the task to facilitate the publication. The offices of the newspaper were housed in the small premises on the commercially busy and a crowded narrow street then known as South Napier Road, in premises belonging to Haroon. He was at that time planning to bring out a newspaper called "The Herald" but agreed to publish DAWN at his facilities, at the bidding of Mr. Jinnah. The street where Dawn was first published is now known as Altaf Hussain Road. Dawn became a most outspoken publication under the editorship of Hussain, who fiercely opposed the tyranny and corrupt politicians and military dictators after the independence of Pakistan. In 1965, Hussain resigned as editor when he accepted the invitation of President General Ayub Khan to join his government as a cabinet minister.