KARACHI, May 11: Musheer Ahmed Pesh Imam, a prominent lawyer and politician, died here on Sunday after a protracted illness. He was 80. He is survived by a son, advocate Nayyar Imam, and three daughters.

His funeral was attended by a large number of lawyers, politicians and elite of the city. He was buried in the PECHS graveyard on Sunday evening.

Mr Imam, who was barrister-at-law from the famous Lincoln’s Inn, was former president of the Pakistani chapter of International Lawyers Association, with its headquarters in England. Mr Imam was regarded as a noble and absolute professional by his colleagues at the Bar.

During his academic career he played an active role in the freedom movement from the platform of the Muslim students. He began practising law in Bombay.

After the partition, he set up his own firm in Karachi as well as started taking part in politics. However, he came to the forefront in country’s politics when Madir-i-Millat contested for the office of the president against President Gen Ayub Khan. The Madir-i-Millat had also nominated him as the trustee for all her educational institutions.

When Air Marshal Asghar Khan formed Tehreek-i-Istiqlal, he was elected as its Secretary-General. Later, he contested and won a seat in National Assembly from Karachi on the PNA ticket and played an active role in the Combined Opposition Parties.

During Gen Zia-ul-Haq regime, when Mohammad Khan Junejo reorganized the Pakistan Muslim League, he joined the PML and later on became a part of the PML-N only to slowly withdraw himself from the politics and devoted himself to his practice.

His Soyem will be held at his Karachi residence B-55, KDA Scheme No-1 on Tuesday between Asr and Maghreb prayers.