Amir Mir

Amir Mir is a Pakistani journalist who is currently the Deputy Editor/Editor Investigations for the English-language Pakistani daily The News International, based in Lahore. His areas of special interest include al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked militant and jihadi organisations, terrorism, intelligence agencies, armed forces, religious and political parties, and sectarian and ethnic groups.

His paternal grandfather, Mir Abdul Aziz was a poet of the Urdu, Punjabi and Persian languages. His father, Prof. Waris Mir, was a writer. Amir Mir’s eldest brother Hamid Mir is also a Pakistani columnist and television anchor affiliated with Geo TV network while his younger brother Imran Mir works for Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV). An elder brother Faisal Mir is an industrialist.

Amir Mir graduated from Government College University in Lahore with majors in Political Science, Sociology and Psychology. He started his career as a reporter while studying for a master's degree in political science from the University of Punjab Lahore in 1989 at 20 years of age. In 1993, he became a part of Pakistan’s English daily The News International and worked as a team member of the News Bureau of Investigation. From then to 2001, Mir wrote on the political problems and issues of Pakistan. Along with The News, Mir also wrote for various publications home and abroad such as the Inter Press Service, the Straits Times, the Gulf News and weekly The Friday Times and Monthly Newsline.

Amir Mir has been an outspoken critic of former Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, condemning him as a military dictator who violated Pakistan's democracy and constitution. When he was declared the best reporter of 2005 by the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), he refused to accept the award as it was to be presented by Musharraf. He also criticised the APNS for inviting Musharraf, who Mir said was a military dictator who did not respect the freedom of expression. In his book The True Face of Jehadis: Inside Pakistan's Network of Terror, Mir claims that Musharraf himself believes in Islamic fundamentalism. Mir accuses Musharraf of making half-hearted efforts to curb radical Islamic groups operating in Pakistan.

In early 2001, Amir Mir left daily The News, Weekly The Friday Times and Monthly Newsline to launch the Weekly Independent, an English news magazine, as the project director cum editor.

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