HYDERABAD, Sept 25: Renowned research scholar and educationist and religious and spiritual leader Prof (Dr) Ghulam Mustafa Khan passed away on Sunday after protracted illness. He was 93. He leaves behind two sons, Dr Siraj Ahmed Khan and Zafar Ahmed Khan, and three daughters and thousands of disciples to mourn his death.

Thousands of people attended his Namaz-i-Janaza.

Dr Khan was born in the Jabalpur city of India on September 23, 1912, and received his education at the Aligarh Muslim University.

After doing his masters in Urdu literature, he worked as a lecturer at the King Edward College, Amrawati.

He did his PhD on Syed Hassan Ghaznavi from Nagpur University.

After his migration to Pakistan, he was appointed in Urdu College, Karachi.

Later he was appointed as head of the department of Urdu in Sindh University where he worked with Allama I. I. Qazi.

He was considered an authority on Maulana Hali. His book Hali Ka Zahni Irteqa was included in the university level curriculum. He authored and com-

piled 90 books in Urdu and English.

He was honoured with the presidential award Sitar-i-Imtiaz, Naqoosh award, Iqbal award and Nishan-i-Sipas.

Our Karachi Reporter adds: Sindh Chief Minster Dr Ghulam Rahim and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad condoled the death of the veteran scholar, religious and sprititual leader, Dr Ghulam Mustafa Khan.

The MMA chief and leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Syed Muawwar Hasan, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, MNAs Mohammad Hussain Mehanti, Abdul Sattar Afghani, Mohammad Laeeq Khan, MPAs Nasrullah Khan Shaji, Hameedullah Khan and Yunus Barai in a statement expressed grief on the demise of Dr Ghulam Mustafa and prayed for his soul. They also paid tribute to the late Khan for his services in the field of education and religion.