MULTAN: Progressive political activist Syed Haider Abbas Gardezi died of the coronavirus here on Saturday. He was 72.

According to the family sources, Gardezi’s wife is also getting treatment in the hospital for the virus.

Funeral prayers for the deceased were held at Imam Bargah Shah Yousaf Gardezi.

Haider Gardezi was the only son of poet Hassan Raza Gardezi and son-in-law of left-wing leader Syed Muhammad Qaswar Gardezi, the first general secretary of the Pakistan National Party (PNP), founded in 1986 in Multan with Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo as its head.

Talking about the deceased, poet Muhammad Aamer Husaini said Mr Gardezi first joined the PNP and later moved to the PPP in 1988. He remained committed to the PPP till his last breath.

“In 1993’s election, he (Gardezi) was one of the speech writers of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. He was the voice of the left-wing in the party. His demise is a great loss for democratic politics and workers,” Hussaini said.

Poet and historian Shakir Hussain Shakir said that Gardezi was a shining chapter in the progress politics of Multan.

Haider Abbas Gardezi left behind a widow and three daughters.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2020