HARIPUR: Begum Mir Dad Khan, mother of President Ayub, who breathed her last early this morning [July 25], was laid to rest this evening in her family graveyard at Rehana, the ancestral village of the family. Aged over 80, she leaves behind five sons and two daughters. Maulana Ihtishamul Haq Thanvi, who had earlier reached Rehana, led the funeral prayers. Pir Sahib Deval Sharif offered the post-funeral prayer. The Qul ceremony will be held at Rehana on July 27. Thousands of people joined the Namaz-i-Janaza (funeral prayer). The Janaza was carried by the grandsons most of the way.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies from Rawalpindi], President Mohammad Ayub Khan has in a message, appealed to the people not to call on him to condole the death of his mother as “the interest of the country demands that we continue to remain engaged in its work and its building.” The President said that the duty to country takes precedence over all others.

The President in his message said: “I am grateful to my countrymen and to all those who have condoled with me in person and sent me messages of sympathy on my loss. I am confident that there are many more who would like to call on me and express their sympathies. I would request them not to put themselves to inconvenience by leaving their work to call on me. The interest of the country demands that we continue to remain engaged in its work and its building. This duty takes precedence over all others. I am fully aware of the deep feelings of sympathy. The prayers will sustain me in my hours of sorrow.”

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2015

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