RAWALPINDI: PPP’s Rawalpindi chapter postponed the celebrations of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s birth anniversary on Saturday due to the death of party leader Malik Hakeem Khan.

“The party had made arrangements for the event at the party’s local office, but after the death of Malik Hakeem Khan the party decided to postpone the celebrations,” Rawalpindi chapter General Secretary Chaudhry Iftikhar told Dawn.

The party will hold an event in the coming week, he said, and party workers have been informed.

Mr Iftikhar said party workers also went to Attock to attend Khan’s funeral.

Sardar Saleem, a former senator and the chapter’s president during Ziaul Haq’s martial law, expressed sorrow over Khan’s death.

He said Khan played a leading role in the party’s struggle against martial law and worked for the voiceless segment of society.

“He was a true party jiyala who was not afraid of the jails and torture during the martial law regime,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2019