January 27, 2006	Friday	Zilhaj 26, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: The passing away of veteran politician Khan Abdul Wali Khan was mourned all over the country on Thursday and rich tributes were paid to his services for the cause of democracy and struggle for the rights of the oppressed.

Government leaders, legislators and politicians belonging to various schools of thought expressed grief and offered condolences to the bereaved family.

President Pervez Musharraf, Acting President Mohammadmian Soomro, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Speaker of the National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Deputy Speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqub, governors and chief ministers of provinces, federal ministers and leaders of political parties in their statements described Wali Khan’s death as an irreparable loss to the country.

The president in his condolence message prayed for the repose of the departed soul and called upon the bereaved family to bear his irreparable loss with strength and fortitude.

He said Wali Khan was one of a rare breed of individuals whose lives were based on principles and convictions. His is a great loss for the nation, the president said.

Prime Minister Aziz telephoned Senator Asfandyar Wali to express sympathy. He paid rich tributes to the late leader and said he had played an important role in politics.

Acting President Mohammadmian Soomro expressed his deep sense of sorrow and grief in his message of condolence to Senator Asfandyar and said: “We have been deprived of a sincere, simple and fearless politician, one who had a towering personality.” Like his illustrious father Bacha Khan, Wali Khan always preached non-violence and acted as the ideological mentor of his party.

Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Sardar Muhammad Yaqub in their messages paid glowing tributes to Wali Khan’s services to the nation and remembered him as a great politician and social reformer.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said the nation could not forget Wali Khan’s social and political services and especially his role in the framing of the 1973 constitution.

Leader of the house in the Senate Wasim Sajjad said the death of Wali Khan had deprived the nation of “a sincere, simple and fearless politician” and “a learned parliamentarian”.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that Wali Khan enjoyed the status of a top-ranking politician. He particularly mentioned the fact that Wali Khan had never became part of any unconstitutional set-up.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, president Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, acting parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhaghra and central information secretary Siddiqul Farooq, also paid homage to the late leader.