LONDON: General Iskander Mirza, who was President of Pakistan until October 1958, died at midnight [Nov 13] after a heart attack. A heart patient for some time, Mr Mirza had another heart attack last night from which he did not recover.

Mr Mirza took up residence in London after he fell out with former President Field-Marshal Ayub Khan. His body will be flown tomorrow to Teheran for burial in the Iranian capital. — Correspondent

Agency reports add: Mr Iskander Mirza, 70, leaves behind a widow, Naheed Mirza, a son, Humayun Mirza, and four daughters — Mrs Syed Asad Ali, Mrs Iqbal Imam, Mrs Mahmood Mirza and Miss Zeenat Mirza.

A telegram sent from London to Syed Asad Ali, Mr Mirza’s son-in-law, in Karachi said that according to the wishes of the former President he would be buried in Teheran. The Royal Government of Iran will accord a State burial to his body. The four daughters and their husbands will be leaving for Teheran on Friday. His son, who is in the World Bank at Washington, is expected to reach Teheran with the body.

Mr Iskander Mirza went to live in London following imposition of Martial Law in 1958. He was planning to come to Pakistan within a short time, according to Pakistan’s political leaders who met him in London recently.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019