FAISALABAD: Former state minister and PML-N leader, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, passed away at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology on Friday.

He was admitted to the institute a couple of days earlier and his condition deteriorated over time.

PML-N’s Mian Irfan Mannan confirmed the death of Rana Afzal and said the funeral timings were yet to be decided as Afzal’s daughters lived abroad.

Rana Afzal, son of retired Maj Fazal Muhammad Khan, was born on Feb 22, 1949 in Faisalabad. He obtained the BSc in Electrical Engineering degree in 1971 from NED Engineering College, University of Karachi and later MA in Political Science from Balochistan University, Quetta.

He was commissioned in the Pakistan Army and served as captain from 1971 to 76. He also served as member of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Committee from 1988 to 91, Wasa vice chairman from 1997 to 99, member of University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Syndicate 1997 to 99 and University of Agriculture Faisalabad Syndicate member from 1997 to 2002.

Afzal remained an MPA from 1997 to 99 and returned to the assembly again in the 2008 general elections. He served as the state minister for finance in the Shahid Khakan Abbasi cabinet and was considered a strong voice for PML-N. He has left behind a widow and four children.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2019