Commander Sharif, son laid to rest

Father and younger brother of Arshad Sharif, Bureau Chief of DawnNews Islamabad, were laid to rest.

ISLAMABAD:

The father and the younger brother of Arshad Sharif, Bureau Chief of DawnNews Islamabad, were laid to rest with full military honour at the H-11 Graveyard on Tuesday.

Earlier the funeral processions of Commander (retd) Muhammed Sharif and his son Major Doctor Ashraf Sharif were taken out from their residence in G-11/3 and their funerals were offered at the graveyard at 11am.

Qul for the departed souls will be held at their residence, House No 107, Street No 110, G-11/3 after Asr prayers on Wednesday.

A large number of people from all walks of life, including military officers, media persons, civil society members and politicians participated in their funeral.

Floral wreaths were laid on their graves on behalf of Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, and other high officials of the armed forces.

A contingent of army paid gun salute and final homage to the two officers.

Commander Sharif, 69, died of heart attack at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) on Monday.  His younger son Major Dr Ashraf, 35, died when he met an accident near Karak while driving back to Islamabad from Bannu in his car after hearing the news of his father’s death.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, Senate Chairman Farooq H. Naek, Deputy Chairman Jan Muhammed Jamali, Federal Minister Ashiq Firdous Awan, politicians and people from a cross-section of society condoled the death of Commander Sharif and his son.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2011.