LAHORE: The local government was the brainchild of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founding member Dr Mubashir Hasan, says senior party leader Navid Chaudhry.

“The devolution plan was Dr Hasan’s brainchild and it was later adopted by Gen Musharraf and local governments were formed. Dr Mubashir believed that power belonged to the people and he struggled for it,” Mr Chaudhry told Dawn at the funeral of Dr Hasan who passed away here on Saturday.

“After quitting the PPP, Dr Hasan had formed ‘Tehreek-i-Awam’ and the basic purpose of it was to work for empowerment of the people. Z.A. Bhutto respected him a lot,” he said and added that the veteran leader had also formed the Pak-India Forum for promotion of peace.

Mr Chaudhry said although he (Dr Hasan) had joined the PPP Shaheed Bhutto, a party of Ghinwa Bhutto, he could not remain politically active.

PPP leader Barrister Amir Hasan said Dr Hasan being part of the PPP government worked for making pro-people policies. “The founding member worked for industrial workers and farmers. Had he remained with the PPP, the people and the party would have benefited from him,” he said, adding that there could be differences with persons but not an ideology.

PPP Punjab president Qamar Zaman Kaira said Dr Mubashir Hasan became the voice of the oppressed and his services for the people would always be remembered.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in a tweet: “HRCP deeply mourns the passing of Dr Mubashir Hasan, a leading public intellectual, author, politician, and one of the Commission’s founder members. He was also one of the architects of the Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy. His is an irreparable loss.”

Awami National Party leader Afrasiab Khattak said: “Death of Dr Mubashir Hassan is a great loss & the end of an era. He was a leader, a visionary, a thinker and an activist. I have the honor of working with him in HRCP and PIPFPD for many years always learning from his knowledge and experience.”

Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the death of renowned economist, intellectual and former federal minister Dr Mubashir Hassan.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2020