ISLAMABAD: Senior PPP leader and former provincial minister from Attock Malik Hakmeen Khan died in Islamabad on Friday.

A close aide of PPP founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Hakmeen Khan was considered a PPP jiyala. He was one of the founding members of the PPP and served as a provincial minister during Bhutto’s government.

He contested the provincial assembly elections in the 70s from PP-12 Attock, which is now PP-15 Attock. He retained his seats in the 1977 and 1988 elections.

During 1972-77, he held the portfolios of Housing and Physical Planning, Auqaf, Food, Cooperatives and Prisons in the provincial cabinet.

He was elected as senator in 1994 and was also a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet, Establishment, Management Services, Labour and Manpower.

Hakmeen Khan was witness to many important political events in Pakistan as he was very active during Bhutto’s rule in the centre and Punjab. He faced imprisonment during Zia’s regime but did not change his loyalties.

Later on, Hakmeen also developed a good relationship with Benazir Bhutto who considered him one of the most loyal party leaders and a good friend of her father’s.

The PPP leadership, PTI leader Major Tahir Sadiq, former minister Sheikh Aftab and others expressed grief and sorrow over the demise of Malik Hakmeen.

Federal Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also expressed his sorrow and said Hakmeen Khan will always be remembered as an active political leader.

Hakmeen Khan’s funeral will be held in his native Sheenbagh village on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2019