PPP Senator Taj Haider buried within Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine's premises

• Sindh ministers Saeed Ghani, Nasir, Karachi mayor attend funeral. 
• Haider's funeral prayer offered at Masjid-o-Imambargah Yasrab.
• Politician's passing widely mourned by politicians, govt officials. 
  

KARACHI: Senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Taj Haider, who passed away on Tuesday night, was laid to rest in the premises of Abdullah Shah Ghazi's shrine in Clifton on Wednesday.

The funeral prayer of the deceased politician was offered at Masjid-o-Imambargah Yasrab in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase IV. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Governor Kamran Tessori, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and several other politicians attended the funeral.

Former caretaker CM Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar, Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shah Muhammad Shah, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Munim Zafar Khan, former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi were also present on this occasion.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced a three-day mourning to condole the death of the senior party leader.

In a message, the chief minister praised the lifelong services and efforts of the deceased PPP leader for electoral transparency and social justice in Pakistan. He said the late Senator Haider's services as an intelligent politician, writer, and intellectual would always be remembered.

The late PPP leader always strived for the rights of the people and upholding the constitution in the country, he maintained.

The senior politician died at the age of 83 after a brief illness. In a statement, the family said Haider had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

Haider was born on March 8, 1942, in Kota, Rajasthan, into a family known for its academic and intellectual background. He migrated to Pakistan after the partition and pursued his early education at Government Boys High School, Ranchor Lines, Karachi.

Haider initially stepped into the world of fine arts and made significant contributions as a writer for television. He also penned thought-provoking columns for various newspapers and acted in his own drama serial Aabla Pa, where he portrayed the role of Professor Adi Wala.

His political journey began in 1967 when he attended the Socialist Convention. The same year, he formally joined the PPP and became one of its founding members.

In recognition of his contributions to literature and science, Haider was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2012 for his services in the scientific domain. He also received the 13th PTV Award for Best Drama Serial Writer in 2006.

Haider's passing was widely mourned by politicians, journalists and government officials.