LAHORE, July 10: Communist leader C. R. Aslam died here on Tuesday. He was 98. His funeral procession will be taken out from his Temple road residence at 2pm after Zohr prayers on Wednesday.

His son Qais Aslam says Mr Aslam fell ill about a month ago and he never recovered. He lost consciousness two days ago and breathed his last on Tuesday evening.

Belonging to Shahkot, then in Sheikhupura district (now in Nankana district), he did his BA as a private candidate from Sheikhupura and then came to Lahore for MA in economics. Soon he joined the Communist Party of India and remained committed to the Marxist ideology till his death.

He joined the National Awami Party (NAP) after a ban on the Communist Party. In 1971, he formed his own group, the Socialist Party, whose secretary-general was known lawyer Abid Hasan Minto.

His last destination in political struggle was the National Workers’ Party formed by Mr Minto after parting ways with the Socialist Party.

He was arrested and jailed many times during his struggle.