LAHORE, Jan 1: The Punjab governor, chief minister and various politicians have expressed their sorrow and grief at the death of intellectual and former Punjab chief minister Haneef Ramay. In their condolence messages to the bereaved family, they said his death has deprived the country of a man of principles, distinctive writer and painter and it will prove as a blow to the literary and cultural circles.

They prayed that may Allah rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant fortitude to the grieved family to bear the loss.

Others who sent their condolence messages included MMA president Qazi Husain Ahmad, Jamaat-i-Islami leaders Mian Muhammad Tufail, Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Liaquat Baloch, Syed Munawwar Hasan, PPP provincial president Qasim Zia, former secretary-general Sheikh Rafiq, Aitzaz Ahsan, Rana Aftab and Naveed Chaudhry.