SUKKUR, March 3: Federal Minister and Pir of Ranipur Syed Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani was laid to rest in his native graveyard in Ranipur on Thursday in the presence of his relatives and thousands of followers. He was 84.

Pir Abdul Qadir, s/o Pir Syed Ahmed Shah Jilani, died in a hospital of Islamabad after his bypass operation on Wednesday.

His dead body was shifted to Ranipur by a special flight provided by the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday noon.

Earlier, the body was received from the hospital by his elder son MNA and Chairman of the Land Grant Commission Syed Fazal Shah Jilani.

PPP MNA Nawab Wasan and Sindh Provincial Minister for Works and Services Manzoor Wasan accompanied the body in the flight.

A significant spiritual leader, Pir Syed Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani was the Pir of Ranipur.

He was elected five times as member of the National Assembly, four times on the ticket of the PPP and once from the Pakistan Muslim League.

He remained chairman of the Land Grant Commission and held the post of federal minister twice.

He joined politics in 1968 when late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto formed the Pakistan People's Party. The Pir of Ranipur was the first political figure of Khairpur district joining the party.

According to family sources, grandfather of Pir Syed Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani was Pir Syed Hashim Raza Shah Jilani who had migrated from Baghdad about 185 years ago with his grandfather when he was only two. They chose Ranipur for preaching of Islam.

Syed Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani left behind four widows and more than 60 family members, including sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters and large number of nephews.

Hundreds of political figures, provincial ministers and citizens attended his funeral.