Career
He is the current vice-chairperson of the (Punjab) of the Human Rights Commission, Punjab Branch, and the Dean of School of Media and Communication at Beaconhouse National University. He is one of Pakistan’s more prominent communication experts with a specialization in political analysis. One of few media historians of the country, Mehdi is a regular commentator and panellist for news channels and radio stations where he brings his academic research into social context.
His book The Political History of Pakistan is a widely used source of reference by journalists and producers.
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in mass communication, Punjab University, ‘Role of Press in Formation in Public Opinion 1857-1947’, an Master of Arts in journalism, Punjab University, and was a Fulbright Scholar (1990) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he conducted research on ‘Coverage of Third World Countries in the American Mass Media’. He has published papers in America and Pakistan
As a journalist, he was sub-editor, reporter and news bureau chief at Pakistan Press International (PPI) between 1961-1967.
Elected office-bearer of Pakistan Federation of Union of Journalists (PFUJ) five times during this period. He also has been a news commentator and analyst for television since 1964 and for radio since 1962, including for Voice of America, British Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Germany, Reuters and APA, and a contributor for all major newspapers in Pakistan.
Columnist at English daily The News International and Urdu daily Waqt.
