JSQM chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi passes away

JSQM chairman dies en route to hospital after suffering from a heart attack.

SINDH: Sindhi nationalist and chairman Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Bashir Qureshi, 54 passed away under mysterious circumstances late last night in Sakrand, but initial information pouring in said the nature of his death was a heart attack.

According to reports, Qureshi was on a party tour when suddenly he lost consciousness after having dinner with other party workers. He had chest pain followed by a cough. Qureshi was shifted to a local hospital where he breathed his last at around 2:45am.

Some party workers believed that Qureshi was neither a heart patient nor had he suffered heart attack before. Some leaders of his party alleged that he was poisoned slowly, which resulted in his death. Soon after his death, the deceased was taken to Chandka Hospital, Larkana for postmortem.

Qureshi belongs to Ratodero of Larkana district and was a popular Sindhi nationalist and follower of GM Syed’s mission who wanted the independence of Sindh.

The party has announced three-day mourning and a large number of people have started heading towards Bashir Qureshi’s hometown.

Business activities have come to a standstill in Sindh. Universities and colleges have been closed while the administration of Matric board  in many districts have postponed today’s papers.

According to party officials, the funeral will be held in Ratodero at around 5:30pm and Qureshi will be laid to rest in Sann, near the grave of GM Syed.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain also expressed his sorrow over the death of the JSQM leader.

Qureshi started his political career by joining Jeay Sindh Student Federation (JSSF). He did his Master's from Agriculture University of Tando Jam. As a student, Qureshi played his role during the movement of restoration of democracy (MRD) during General Ziaul Haq’s tenure. He went to jail dozens of times and was later elected as central president JSSF.  After the death of leader GM Syed who was his political mentor, the party decided to elect him chairman JSQM.

Recently, his party organized “Independence March” on March 23 where hundreds of thousands of people gathered from Tibet Centre Karachi to Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum.

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his deep grief and sorrow over sudden death of Qureshi and condoled with the members of bereaved family and his followers.