Sardar Abdul Qayyum passes away

ISLAMABAD: Former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and veteran Kashmiri politician Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan passed away at a local hospital in Rawalpindi on Friday after protracted illness.
Sardar Qayyum remained chairman of Kashmir Committee and was among the founders of Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom. He was considered as one of the founders of the Kashmir Liberation Movement and the supreme leader of the Muslim Conference which is the oldest political party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir region.
Sardar Qayyum was also known as Mujahid-e-Awal or the first warrior and was believed to have fired the first bullet in the 1947 war of liberation to establish AJK. President Mamnoon Hussain expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of Sardar Abdul Qayyum.
In his condolence message, the president said Sardar Qayyum was among the founders of Kashmir freedom movement. He said the deceased rendered supreme services for democratic struggle and resolution of national crisis in Pakistan. He further said that the services of the former president of AJK for Kashmir freedom movement will forever be remembered. He said that the vacuum created by the death of Sardar Abdul Qayyum can never be filled.
He also offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and hoped that they would bear this loss with fortitude and courage.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of Sardar Qayyum.
The prime minister said the death of Sardar Qayyum is a great loss for the Kashmiri people. He said Sardar Qayyum had rendered great services for the cause of Kashmiris.Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi also expressed their heartfelt condolences over the demise of the former AJK president.
In their separate condolence messages, they said the country is deprived of a great political leader. They said that Sardar Qayyum’s contributions for strengthening democracy and independence movement of Kashmir would always be remembered.Meanwhile, the Senate offered fateha for Sardar Abdul Qayyum. Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq led Fateha on request of Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani.