Senior PPP leader & ex-interior minister Senator Abdul Rehman Malik passes away; funeral prayer to be offered today in Islamabad
President, PM, Zardari, Bilwal, Shehbaz, Maryam, Sheikh Rashid, Qureshi, Fawad, others express condolence on the death of Malik
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former interior minister senator Abdul Rehman Malik passed away on Wednesday in Islamabad due to coronavirus-related complications, his spokesperson Riaz Ali Turi confirmed. He was 70.
His Spokesperson Riaz Ali Turi confirmed the news through his official Twitter handle. “Deeply devastated to say that former interior minister, PPP’s senior leader Abdul Rehman Malik passed away,” he said.
“Deeply devastated to say that former interior minister and PPP’s senior leader, Abdul Rehman Malik, passed away,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile the funeral prayer of Abdul Rehman Malik will be offered today (Thursday) in Islamabad and later on he will be buried in Islamabad. This was announced by former chairman senate and PPP leader Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari while talking to media persons on Wednesday after visiting the family members of Abdul Rehman Malik. Nayyar Bukhari said that he was told that Rehman Malik will be buried in Islamabad today (Thursday).
Earlier this month, Rehman Malik was put on a ventilator after his health deteriorated due to Covid-related complications.
Malik had tested positive for the coronavirus in January. At that time, his spokesperson said the former senator had initially been shifted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Islamabad after his condition deteriorated. However, his condition had continued to worsen and doctors subsequently put him on a ventilator on February 1.
The spokesperson said the virus had affected Malik’s lungs and the former senator had been complaining of breathing problems after contracting Covid.
Talking to the media, Malik’s nephew Waqas Malik said the former senator’s funeral prayers would be held at the mosque in Islamabad’s H-8 sector at 2:30 PM today (Thursday).
Abdul Rehman Malik obtained a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Karachi in 1973 and was awarded an honorary PhD from the same institution in 2012.
The deceased had a long career as a politician and held many portfolios, including his term as interior minister from 2008 to 2013. Earlier, from 2004 until 2007, he served as the chief of security of Benazir Bhutto and became senior official of the central committee of the PPP.
Owing to his services, the government of Pakistan had awarded him with one of the highest civilian awards in the country — Sitara-e-Shujat (the Star of Bravery). He also received one of the most prestigious civil decorations — the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (the Order of Excellence) — from the state.
He had a long career as a politician and held many portfolios, including his term as interior minister from 2008 to 2013.
Abdul Rehman Malik was born 12 December 1951 in Sialkot. Prior to his entry in national politics, Malik had pursued a successful career in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as a special agent, eventually becoming the Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency in 1993 until 1996.
Meanwhile condolences poured in from PPP stalwarts and political leaders from other parties on Malik’s passing.
PPP Co-Chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to Malik, saying he was a “hardworking and capable interior minister”.
He added that Malik’s services to the country were unforgettable and the PPP leadership and workers shared in his family’s grief.
In his message, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed grief over Malik’s demise and said the former minister had “always practiced politics of honesty and principles.”
President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday expressed their grief over the demise of former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik.
Both the president and prime minister prayed for peace of the departed soul.
They also sympathized with the grieved family and prayed for strength to them to bear the loss.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi also expressed his condolence over the death of the senior PPP leader and prayed for peace of the deceased soul, besides sympathising with the bereaved family.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also condoled the demise of Senator Rehman Malik and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest his soul in eternal peace.
“Rehman Malik passed away – Inna Lillah e Wa Inna Elah-e-Rajaioon . . . May Allah Almighty rest him in peace,” the minister expressed his feelings in a tweet.
Highlighting deceased’s role into the investigation of Hudaibiya case, Fawad said though justice was still awaited in that case but late Rehman’s probe had exposed the corrupt elements how modern techniques they were applying for the corruption which also stunned the general public.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the demise of former Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik.
In a condolence message, he sympathized with the bereaved family and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family members to bear this loss with equanimity.
PML-N President Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif extended his “condolences and profound sympathies to the bereaved family and the PPP leadership.” “Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of PPP leader Rehman Malik. May Allah Almighty rest his soul in peace! I extend my heartfelt condolences and profound sympathies to the bereaved family and the PPP leadership” Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Wednesday.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif has also expressed her deep grief over the death of Senator Abdul Rehman Malik. Maryam Nawaz in a statement issued on twitter, also prayer higher status in heaven for the departed soul.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed expressed his grief over news of the demise and extended condolences to the departed’s family.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar offered his condolences on the former interior minister’s death.
PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said he was “deeply saddened” on hearing the news and praised his former peer as a “good man and amazing politician”.
“Rehman Malik’s death is a great loss for the country’s politics. The vacuum created by Rehman Malik’s demise can never be filled,” he said, adding that his services for the PPP will always be remembered.
“I am deeply saddened by the demise of former interior minister Rehman Malik. May God forgive him and grant patience to his family,” senior PML-N Secretary General and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry tweeted.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser wrote: “I pray to Allah Almighty to elevate the ranks of the deceased and grant patience to the bereaved.”
Expressing his grief, Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Zaheeruddin Babar Awan said the news of the death of Rehman Malik, who was his cabinet colleague and old fellow, came as a shock.
Sindh Local Bodies Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said Malik was a great leader and extended his condolences to the deceased’s family.