The deceased is survived by two sons and two daughters. His wife had died last year.
Born in 1931 in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, Masood Ashar received his initial education from the Madrassa-e-Aliya in Rampur. After his graduation in 1951, he moved to Pakistan.
Masood had been affiliated with various newspapers including Zamindar and Aasaar. In 1954, he joined the Urdu daily Imroz whose editor in those days was legendary Urdu poet Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi. Masood later served as the resident editor of Imroz Multan.
Masood Ashar held progressive values due to which he had to suffer. In 1983, he was fired for signing a petition seeking restoration of democracy in the country. He was later reinstated in his position during Benazir Bhutto's government in 1988. He retired from the newspaper as its editor.