KARACHI: Soon after news about the death of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee broke on Thursday, messages of condolences started to pour in through social media.

People from all walks of life, including politicians and journalists, took to Twitter to extend their condolences over the demise of the Indian leader.

In an official statement, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his sincere condolences on the former premier’s death. “The PPP chairman said Prime Minister Vajpayee’s efforts towards establishing an atmosphere of trust between #India & #Pakistan will be his lasting legacy, and hoped that India’s current leadership exhibits similar intentions & commitment towards sustainable peace in South Asia,” the statement read.

PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed lauded the leader as a man of vision who believed in actions rather than words only. “While other Indian leaders have talked of peace, but only PM Vajpayee had the vision, will & moral courage to ‘walk the talk’; he realised post-1998 nuclear tests that Pakistan & India needed a fresh start based on new ground realities, incl[uding] paying homage at the Minar-e-Pakistan,” he tweeted.

Journalist Mehr Tarar regarded Mr Vajpayee as the “advocate of Indo-Pak peace”. “Rest in peace, Atal Bihari Vajpayee saheb. The Indian prime minister who travelled to Lahore in the Sada-e-Sarhad bus with a message of dosti, who wished India & Pakistan to move beyond the bloodied history, and be friends. Dua & condolences for the family. Condolences to India,” she wrote.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf spokesperson Fawad Chauhdry quoted a couplet recited by the late Indian leader. “RIP #AtalBehariVajpayee a legend has departed, his politics was controversial but his desire for peace was unifying, still remember when he said “Guftgu ki Jiye Yeah Fitrate Insani Hai Shakeeb.... Jaalay Lag Jaatay hein band makanoo mein,” he posted on Twitter.

Former editor of Dawn Abbas Nasir tweeted: “RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayee, statesman, visionary and an exceptional peacemaker. @AzharAbbas3 would recall how we door-stepped him in Lucknow before the 1998 elex. He patiently fielded our tough questions. A humble man.”

Author Nasim Zehra wrote: “In his dealings with Pakistan, both as FM & PM, Vajpayee demonstrated that he was a true visionary and a courageous politician. May God Bless his soul.”

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018