PESHAWAR: Speakers at a condolence reference paid tributes to former MPA from Chitral Zainul Abdeen and recalled his services as one of the pioneer members of Pak-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy.

The event was arranged by Shandoor Travels at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday. People from different walks of life including academicians, politicians and intellectuals attended the event.

Zainul Abideen, a former MPA of Pakistan People’s Party, died few weeks ago in a hospital in Lahore. He was laid to rest at his native graveyard in Chitral.

Khawaja Mohammad Waseem, provincial president of Pak-India People’s Forum, presided over the event whereas former provincial senior minister and PPP leader Rahimdad Khan was guest of honour on the occasion. Other speakers included Dr Shah Jehan, the vice-chancellor of Iqra University, Prof Israrud Din Chitrali, Rahmat Ghazi, Zaheer Ali, Shehzada Khalid Pervez, Azam Afridi and Sartaj Ahmad Khan.

Senior member of Peshawar Press Club Syed Zulfikar Ali Shah welcomed the guests. Prof Saifud Din thanked the speakers and participants on the behalf of the family of the deceased lawmaker.

Khawaja Waseem said that being a patriotic citizen of Pakistan, the late lawmaker always desired cordial and friendly relations with India. For the purpose, he attended nine annual conferences of the forum, five in India and four in Pakistan, he added.

Rahimdad Khan said that Zainul Abideen was one of the decent, soft spoken and experienced politicians.

He was not only respected in PPP but also among the leaders and workers of other political parties, he added.

Azam Afridi said that although Zainul Abideen belonged to Chitral, which was considered soil of honest, patriotic and peace loving people, yet he was popular throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Other speakers paid tributes to the late MPA and said that he was a symbol of unity in Chitral.

They said that he worked for development of Chitral so his name would be remembered for long.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2016