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LAHORE, Feb 13: Federal Minister for Labour and Overseas Pakistanis Mian Abdus Sattar Laleka died here on Friday of cardiac arrest. He was 51. Mr Laleka came to Lahore from Islamabad on Thursday night.
He was to leave for Chishtian when he suffered a heart attack that proved fatal and he died at around 12:15pm before getting any medical help. He is survived by a wife, a son and four daughters.
His body was taken to his native village near Haroonabad in Bahawalnagar district on Friday evening where his funeral prayers will be offered on Saturday (today).
Mr Laleka entered politics after winning 1985 non-party polls from his native town and since then he won all general elections. He was appointed Minister for Manpower in 1985 by the Junejo government. In 1988, he returned to the National Assembly and remained an active member of the Opposition.
Mr Laleka's stint at ministership included portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Food and Agriculture in both terms of the Nawaz government. He won October 2002 elections and was Minister for Labour and Overseas Pakistanis.
CONDOLENCES: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has expressed profound grief and shock over the death of Mr Laleka.
In a message to the bereaved family, the President conveyed his heartfelt condolences over the untimely and sudden death of Mr Laleka. He recalled the tremendous contribution made by Mr Laleka to Pakistan as a federal minister, in the sphere of politics and for the socio-economic development of the people.
He prayed to Allah Almighty to grant courage and fortitude to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss and rest the departed soul in eternal peace. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of Mr Laleka.
The prime minister said he was deprived of a trusted friend, and the Pakistan Muslim League had lost an active and sincere worker. "Mr Laleka was a true patriot, a seasoned politician, a credible friend and an excellent companion," he said.
Appreciating his services for stability of the country and PML and its workers, the prime minister said that as a federal minister, Mr Laleka inculcated a fresh zeal, fervour and spirit in the working of the Ministry of Labour Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis.
He said the reforms he brought into the ministry would cause a far-reaching impact on the economy of the country. National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Deputy Speaker Sardar Mohammad Yaqub, in their separate messages to the family of the federal minister, said that they were shocked and grieved over death of Mr Laleka.
They further said that they shared the loss of the family and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. -APP
