ISLAMABAD, May 23: Mir Shaukat Ali, the last ruler of the defunct Nagar state, died of renal failure here late Thursday night. He was 86.

He is survived by three sons, two daughters and a widow. His eldest son Barkat Ali is a senior official of the Pakistan foreign service.

The funeral prayers of Mir Shaukat Ali was held at Jama Masjid Asna Ashri, G-6/2, on Friday, and his body was taken to Gilgit. He will be laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in central Nagar on Saturday, a family source said.

He was a very close friend of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He announced accession of his state to Pakistan despite tremendous pressure put on him by Maharaja of Kashmir, who threatened to confiscate his entire property in Srinagar, the source added.

He also gave Rs1.5 million as token donation to Pakistan on the request of Quaid-i-Azam.

He was awarded Hilal-i-Pakistan, Hilal Quaid-i-Azam and also held the titles of KBE (Knight of British Empire) and CBE (Companion of British Empire) by Her Majesty’s government.

He returned the title of “KBE” to British rulers on the advice of Quaid-i-Azam.

Our Correspondent from Gilgit adds: The late Mir Shoukat Ali was twice elected to the Northern Areas Legislative Council and was a signatory to the “Letter of Accession” that was signed between him, Mir of Hunza and Quaid-i-Azam on December 7, 1947, according to which both the princely states of Nagar and Hunza announced their accession to Pakistan. Mir Shaukat Ali ruled the Nagar state for 30 years until the late prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, abolished the state in 1973 along with other princely states throughout Gilgit- Baltistan.