LAHORE: Veteran left-wing farmers’ rights activist Malik Muhammad Ali Bhara passed away on Thursday at Wijhianwali (Chab Kalan), Vehari district. He was 85.

Born in 1935, Mr Bhara, former Pakistan Kissan Committee general secretary, joined the communist party in 1951 and started making efforts along with veteran Kissan leader Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad, who died in May, this year at Toba Tek Singh.

Mr Bhara also worked with CR Aslam at Socialist Party Pakistan. He has also been a part of National Awami Party (NAP). He faced a tough time during the dictatorship of of Ziaul Haq while leading a movement for land reforms. He did a lot for getting corporate farms allotted to small growers.

He also worked for Workers Party and Awami Workers Party. His funeral prayers would be offered at Wijhianwali (near Chab Kalan police station) at 11:30am on Friday (today).

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020