LAHORE: Chairman of Supreme Council of Jamiate Ulema-i-Pakistan Lt-Gen (retd) KM Azhar died at the CMH here on Sunday.
He received head injury on Ramazan 28 while performing ablution and was rushed to the hospital, where he was operated upon. His condition did not improve, instead it deteriorated with every passing day. Finally he breathed his last on Sunday morning at CMH. His funeral prayers will be held today (Monday) at 3:30pm at Jamia Mosque, Fortress Stadium Chowk.
Azhar was born in 1918 in India and after completing his early studies from Aligarh College, he got admission in King Edward Medical College, Lahore where he studied for two years. He was present in Lahore during Pakistan Resolution in 1940 on March 23 at Minar-e-Pakistan. He wanted to be a part of Pakistan Army after Quaid-e-Azam asked youth to come and join it. He got commission in army in 1945 and became lieutenant and fought in Burma during second World War before the independence of Pakistan.
After the independence, he took part in all the wars against India. In 1948, he fought against India at Kashmir, in 1964 he was posted at Run of Kuchh, in 1965 he was in Rajasthan where he not only provided resistance to one division army of India with his two battalions but he also occupied 1300 square kilometres area, besides occupying several Indian troops as prisoners of war. In 1971 he was NWFP governor but took active part in war at Rajasthan sector and was injured. In 1972, he resigned from army due to his differences with the then rulers. He was also appointed as president of Pakistan Hockey Federation in 1970 and during his tenure, the national hockey team won Olympics and World Cup. He was made chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board in 1978 and during his tenure the constitution of the board was also framed. He finally joined Jamiate Ulema-i-Pakistan in 1978 on the persuasion of Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani. He was very close to Maulana Abdul Sattar Niazi and Maulana Kausar Niazi. He left five sons and two daughters behind him.
In a handout issued here Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi has also expressed deep grief over the sad demise of former NWFP governor. The chief minister prayed to the Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the members of the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
JUP President Maulana Anus Noorani, JUP Chairman Allama Prof Syed Shah Faridul Haq, Secretary General Qari Zawar Bahadur, Allama Syed Shabbir Ahmed Hashmi, Mufti Hidayatullah, Dr Javed Awan, Rasheed Rizvi and other party leaders have condoled the death of the Gen Azhar.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has expressed deep sorrow over the death of KM Azhar. In a statement, he paid rich tributes to the political and intellectual services of the late leader saying that Azhar was a patriot who was bestowed with a kind heart.
Veteran leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Mian Tufail Muhammad, JI Secretary General Syed Munawar Hasan, Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Mohammad Aslam Saleemi, Ch Rehmat Elahi, Hafiz Mohammad Idrees, Liaquat Baloch, Dr Farid Ahmed Piracha, Mian Maqsood Ahmad and Malik Mohammad Ashraf also expressed grief over the death and lauded his services.
