Sardar Hayat Khan laid to rest

AJK president, PM among senior ministers pay their respects

MIRPUR:

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry and Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi paid rich tributes to former AJK President and PM Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan on Sunday and said that he played a vital role in the liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and development of the AJK state.

Addressing the condolence reference held in Kotli after the funeral prayer of the veteran Kashmiri leader, they said the lifetime services of Khan to the Kashmir cause will always be remembered. Both the AJK leaders reaffirmed to complete the unfinished mission of the liberation of occupied Kashmir.

Chaudhry said that we have lost a great personality of Azad Kashmir. "Sardar Sikandar's father and my father were part of the meeting in which the Pakistan Accession Resolution was passed. He spent his whole life serving the people of AJK which will always be remembered," he added.

Niazi followed suit and echoed the sentiment. "Khan played a vital role in every department of the state and his father, Ghazi Kashmir Sardar Fateh Muhammad Karailvi, also played an important role in the liberation movement as well as in the development and prosperity of the people," he added.

The construction of Shahra-e-Kashmir and Kotli Stadium was the wish of Sikandar Hayat, the prime minister said and announced to name this highway and stadium after him.

Former senior minister of state Muhammad Nawaz and Muslim Conference President Shafiq Jral also addressed the condolence reference.

Earlier, the funeral prayers for Khan were offered at Kotli Air Ground which was attended by former prime minister Sardar Atiq Ahmad Khan, PPP General Secretary Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, former speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir, Minister for Finance Chaudhry Akhlaq, Minister for Higher Education Zafar Iqbal Malik, former ministers Malik Nawaz, Dr Mahmood Riaz Najib Naqi, Raja Siddique, former member Kashmir Council Abdul Khaliq Wasi, Election Commission member Farhat Ali Mir, former presidential adviser Sardar Abdul Manan Gohar, former advisor Malik Karamat, former DG Political Affairs Malik Zulfiqar, senior member Board of Revenue Ehsan Khalid Kayani, Information DG Raja Azhar Iqbal, Health DG Dr Sardar Aftab, Muzaffarabad Commissioner Masoodur Rehman, Mirpur Commissioner Chaudhry Raqib, Mirpur DIG Chaudhry Sajjad, Raja Arif, former Assembly candidate Malik Muhammad Yousuf, including journalists, lawyers and political activists.

Moreover, a contingent of Kotli police presented a salute as a mark of respect for his services to the state.