Ex-senator Tahir Mashhadi passes away

KARACHI: Former senator and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Col (retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi passed away late Friday night. He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

According to the family, Tahir Mashhadi had been ill for quite some time. He had joined the PPP after quitting the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Before joining the PPP, Mashhadi also remained associated with Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) for some time.

The family said that the funeral prayers of Tahir Mashhadi would be offered at Malir Cantt Imambargah before Zuhr prayers.

Tahir Mashhadi announced his separation from the MQM in March 2018. In an open letter to the people, he said that people from poor families had joined the MQM and were fighting for power today.

Tahir Mashhadi had joined the Pakistan Army in 1970 during the Pak-India War and graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy in 1971 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he was stationed in the-then East Pakistan; he was made a prisoner of war and sent back to Pakistan in 1974. He retired from the Pakistan Army as a colonel.

Tahir Mashhadi served as a senator from 2012 to 2018. He served as chairman of various Senate committees, including the Committee on Rules and Regulations and Privileges and the Standing Committee on Admissions. He also served in the Standing Committee on Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs and Tourism and other ministries.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and various other political leaders Saturday expressed their deep grief and sorrow over death of Tahir Mashhadi. They prayed for the departed soul and for the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude. The PM said Mashhadi’s services for the country and nation would be remembered for long.