Veteran lawyer and former senator S.M. Zafar passed away in Lahore on Thursday after a prolonged illness, a member of his legal team said. He was 93.

His funeral prayers will be offered in Lahore tomorrow after Asr prayers, lawyer Hamid Khalid Butt told Dawn.com.

Zafar had served as federal minister for law at a young age in Gen Ayub Khan’s last cabinet. He had also served as the general secretary of the Muslim League for many years.

The veteran lawyer had also served as a senator as part of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) before announcing his retirement from politics in 2018.

Expressing grief at the lawyer’s death, President Arif Alvi called Zafar a friend, an “outstanding constitutionalist author and a brilliant advocate”. He offered his condolences to Zafar’s family and prayed for the deceased.

“When I finished reading his book Democracy and Islam in History that he had graciously sent to me, I […] sent a message to him on his excellent treatise,” the president said.

Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq, in a statement, expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of the lawyer. He prayed for the deceased and extended his condolences to Zafar’s family.

Maleeha Lodhi — former ambassador to the United States, United Kingdom and United Nations — described Zafar as an “outstanding lawyer” and a “warm and welcoming human being”.

Former MNA Marvi Memon said the lawyer’s death was a loss for Parliament and politics of Pakistan.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar said Zafar was a “kind and gentle soul and full of wisdom”.