Companions praise late Jirga head for sectarian harmony

PESHAWAR: The members of the Imamia Jirga, a non-political social forum, paid rich tributes to late Syed Fazal Ali Shah Rizvi for the role he played in maintaining sectarian harmony in the provincial capital and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while leading the organization for almost three decades.

His companions said the social figure, who was known for promoting sectarian peace, passed away recently at the age of 97, leaving behind his family, a large number of friends and well-wishers to mourn his death. They said late Rizvi sahib headed the Imamia Jirga since its launch. He made tireless efforts to restore and keep intact sectarian harmony which was disturbed in 1992 with the sad incident that happened at the Kohati Gate.

Sardar Sajjad Hussain Zahid, a nonagenarian elder from the Sardarkhel tribe, and other members of the Imamia Jirga, including Allama Irshad Khalil, Nasir Ali Meer, Akhunzada Muzaffar Ali and Farzand Ali Bangash were all praise for late Rizvi for his invaluable services for sectarian peace for a long time.

Sharing memories of his association with late Rizvi sahib, Sardar Sajjad said he made every bid in taking along all segments of the society for maintaining sectarian harmony in the provincial metropolis.

Sardar Sajjad, who is nearly 90-year old and a retired civil servant, said Rizvi sahib was a widely respected member of the community whose ancestral home was located in Mohallah Khudadad at the back of historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar.