MIRPUR (AJK) - Legendary Kashmiri politician, five-time-elected opposition member of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and founding president of Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan died of brain haemorrhage here on Sunday.
Khalid, 71, was admitted in Shifa International Hospital Islamabad the other day after he suffered brain haemorrhage - where he breathed his last in the wee hours of Sunday, his family sources said while announcing the sad demise of the seasoned politician and son of the founding president of AJK (late) Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan.
Our AJK Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports from Mirpur that Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan will be laid to rest at his native town of Rawalakot in Poonch division on Monday (today) after funeral prayer to be offered at 2pm, the family announced.
The AJK government has announced a gazetted holiday in the state on November 5 to mourn the tragic death of the great seasoned politician Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan, the sitting member of AJK Legislative Assembly opposition benches.
Sardar Khalid Ibrahim enjoyed the distinction in the parliamentary history of AJK of being the most senior member of the Legislative Assembly, AJK Parliament’s lower house, elected for five times in his over 5-decade-long vibrant and distinguished career on the political horizon of the state.
It emerged an exceptional thing that Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan, who born on November 5, 1947 in Rawalakot, is being laid to rest on his birth day of November 5, 2018 (today) exactly at the age of 71 years.
He left two sons, two daughters and a widow in his survivors.
Sardar Khalid Ibrahim founded Jammu Kashmir People’s Party in 1990, a pure Kashmiri political party. He bore in Rawalakot Azad Jammu Kashmir to an elite Sudhan family.
He resigned from membership of AJKLA on two separate occasions in the past. After his resignation from the legislature on January 8, 2009, he had stated:-
“I have voted in favour of the no-trust motion, but the new set-up has come into being with the help of those who describe Kashmiri militants as terrorists and say that India was never a threat to Pakistan.
The new set-up has made a greater compromise on the Kashmir issue than the one that has been sent packing and “I announce my resignation from the assembly”.
Khalid was an economic and political science graduate from Government College Lahore.
He actively participated in political, basic and human rights movements in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and endured incarcerations several times.
His twice resignations from the membership of AJK legislative Assembly was purely on principles - since he did not ever comprised on principles during his entire active political life spreading over five decades.
He participated in various national and international Conferences on India Pakistan relations in the backdrop of Kashmir issue and conflict resolutions especially on the Jammu & Kashmir problem.
He was facing a contempt of court case in the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu Kashmir since past many months and was due to be appeared in the apex court in the case on the orders of the learned premier court of the State.
His close party colleague, former central President and Secretary General of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party Nishat Hussain Kazmi Advocate has expressed deep sense of shock and grief over the tragic demise of Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan.
In a statement of condolence here on Sunday, Kazmi described the demise of Khalid as the departure of most honest, bold, courageous, fair and principled politics from the political horizon of Azad Jammu Kashmir.
He also termed the death of Sardar Khalid Ibrahim as a great loss to the Kashmiris just and principled struggle for freedom and the national Kashmir cause - since he was the staunch supporter of the freedom of occupied Jammu Kashmir state from the Indian subjugation and accession of entire Jammu Kashmir state to Pakistan following its being the Muslim-majority state and in view of the aspirations of the thumping majority of the population of the State.
President Jinnah Foundation AJK and ex MDA’s Director General Dr Amin Chaudhry said in his message of condolence over the demise of Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan that Jammu & Kashmir has deprived of really honourable, honest, bold and principled politician - who is very rarely available in the international, national and regional politics - and the sincere worker of Kashmiris cause for the achievement of their birth right of self determination.
The two leaders prayed for the rest of the departed soul in eternal peace and grant of fortitude to the bereaved family and the people of Jammu Kashmir to bear the loss with courage.