ABBOTTABAD: Former PAF chief and senior politician retired Air Marshal Asghar Khan was laid to rest with full honours at his native graveyard in Nawanshehr here after state funeral ceremonies were held at the Nur Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi, in the morning and later at FFR Centre (Piffer Ground) here on Saturday afternoon.

Eight aircrafts in two formations flying at low altitude paid salute in the traditional format as they passed over the graveyard where final and closing ceremony was in progress.

The burial rituals took place at his ancestral graveyard near Ilyasi Masjid.

Asghar Khan was laid to rest near the grave of his son late Omer Asghar Khan.

Besides high-ranking army and PAF officers, a large number of family members and well-wishers were present on the occasion.

The entire area was cordoned off by troops of Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army and police, and nobody was allowed to enter in the graveyard except officials, mediapersons and office-bearers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Air Vice Marshal Imran Khalid, commanding officer of Risalpur Academy (Asghar Khan Academy), presented last salute at the grave and also laid floral wreaths on behalf of the President and prime minister of Pakistan.

Floral wreaths were also laid on Asghar Khan’s grave on behalf of the army chief, air chief, ex-air chiefs, all units of Pakistan Air Force, corps commander of 10 Corps and GOC Unit-2.

Salutes were also presented by officers of the Frontier Force Regiment Centre and Baloch Regiment Centre.

Earlier, funeral prayer was held at the Liaquat Ground amid tight security and people from all walks of life, officers and cadets of Risalpur Academy, officers and staff of Kala Bagh Base, high-ranking civil and military officers, provincial minister Qalandar Lodhi, former federal minister Omer Ayub Khan, Khurshid Kasuri and a number of activists of different political parties attended the rituals.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2018