The 29-year-old journalist with Urdu daily Nawa-i-Waqt and former chairperson of the Sambrial Press Club, was shot dead by Imran Cheema, chairperson of the Begowala Union Council on March 27 in Sialkot. An argument broke out over a monetary dispute when Butt asked Cheema tough questions, and Cheema opened fire on Butt. He died at the scene.