KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, popularly known as deputy Iqbal, passed away at a local hospital here on Tuesday. He was 64.

His party said he had undergone heart surgery last month but could not recuperate due to post-medical procedure complications.

The funeral prayers would be offered on Wednesday (today) in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Jama Masjid Farooqi near DC-East Office.

His association with the MQM spanned more than three decades. He was elected as a councillor in 1987 from the platform of Haq Parast Group of the then Mohajir Qaumi Movement.

The late MNA had won the National Assembly seat for four consecutive times.

He had first contested the 2002 general election, won the NA seat in the 2008 and 2013 general elections.

He was among the four MQM-P MNAs who had been elected from Karachi in the 2018 general election.

He had also served as the federal minister for housing for a brief period between 2008 and 2013 when the MQM-P was a coalition partner of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led federal government.

During his four terms as the MNA, he had headed several standing committees of the National Assembly.

According to a press release, MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi expressed deep sorrow and grief over his demise. He remembered him as committed and dedicated party worker.

His death was widely condoled by politicians and people from different walks of life.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari offered his condolence with the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2022