PESHAWAR, Jan 27: Thousands of mourners turned up at the funeral of Khan Abdul Wali Khan here on Friday at the Jinnah Park. Leaders from almost all political parties and official delegation from India and Afghanistan were present when the veteran politician was laid to rest on the premises of his famous Wali Bagh residence in Charsadda.
The 89-year-old freedom fighter died on Thursday morning after a heart attack. He had been bed-ridden for some time owing to a brain haemorrhage. On Monday last, he was shifted to Peshawar. Doctors were treating him for high blood pressure, abnormal sugar level and breathlessness.
His body was moved from the house of his daughter Dr Gulalai to Jinnah Park where people kept pouring in from across the country to have a glimpse of the last freedom fighter of the subcontinent, who fought for the oppressed nationalities.
Red and black flags were hoisted in Jinnah Park. Thousands of party workers gathered glimpse of their leader.
Jinnah Park was packed to capacity, but no untoward incident was reported because of tight security arrangements made by the ANP’s militant wing, Nangialai Pukhtun, attired in red Shalwar-Qameez.
Later, the casket carrying the body was taken to the Wali Bagh, his 89-year-old abode in Charsadda, where he was buried.
Most of the shops and markets on Charsadda Road and in Bazaar remained closed as a mark of respect for the nationalist leader when the funeral procession passed thorough.
An Indian delegation led by K. Rehman, vice-chairman of Rajya Sabha, visited Peshawar to offer condolences to the members of the bereaved family on behalf of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon, Afghan Vice-President Karim Khalili, former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani, former president Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad, PML’s chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Federal Ministers Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and others attended the funeral.
