DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Former provincial finance minister Makhdoom Mureed Kazim Shah died at a hospital in Rawalpindi after a brief illness. He was 71.

His funeral prayers were offered in Blot Sharif on Thursday in which besides religious and political figures a large number of local people participated. He was buried in his ancestral graveyard of Hazrat Shah Issa.

Mureed Kazim was a seasoned politician who was considered to be an expert in making important decisions for development and prosperity of his constituency.

He had started his political career in 1985 from PK-95 constituency of Paharpur tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan and continued to compete with his former political rival Javed Akbar Khan. He first won in 1993 election and was made provincial finance minister.

He left behind a widow and three sons Aftab Haider Shah, Ehsan Shah and Irfan Shah.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2021