LAHORE, Nov 7: All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran president and renowned trade leader of the city Haji Maqsood Ahmad Butt passed away here on Sunday.

Suffering from a liver disease, Butt was admitted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital three weeks ago.

Butt, 66, was buried in Miani Sahib graveyard following funeral prayers which were attended by a large number of people from different walks of life.

All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran president since 1985, Maqsood Butt was also elected to the Punjab Assembly on four occasions.He entered trade politics 40 years ago and became Shah Alam Market general secretary.

He also remained presidents of Anjuman Tajiran Lahore, Anjuman Tajiran Punjab and was also elected as member of Provincial Majli-s-Shura on the platform of traders during the Gen Zia rule.

He became MPA in 1985 and was considered to be very close to PML-N patron Mian Nawaz Sharif.

He joined the PML-Q after the 1999 military takeover and was appointed as PML-Q's Punjab vice-president by the then provincial chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He rejoined PML-N after 2008 general elections.

His major achievements for business community were successful struggle against Defence Tax approved by the Junejo

government in 1986 and its abolition; abolition of octroi and district tax in 1997; introduction of rent law during the Zia regime and self-assessment scheme; and 21-day countrywide strike against Survey Forms in 2000.

Butt worked for the betterment of traders community and acted as a bridge between traders and the federal government for the resolution of their problems.

Butt left behind a widow, three sons and a daughter.