PPP mourns loss of ‘icon of loyalty’ as tributes pour in for Amin Fahim

Karachi
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of his party’s senior leader and former federal minister, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who passed away early on Saturday morning in Karachi.
In his condolence message, he said that Makhdoom Sahib was “an icon of loyalty” to the party, its workers and people.
Bilawal said: “His commitment to three generations of PPP leadership illuminating political career and political foresightedness made him an unmatched shining character in Pakistan’s history.”
“From Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and myself, Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Fahim was like a right hand.
“I had thought to learn a lot from him and his guidance.”
The PPP chairman paid rich tributes to party’s heavyweight leader who fought against three dictatorships by remaining in the forefront of the PPP’s struggle for the restoration of democracy and never looked back.
“Today we are undergoing a heartfelt mourning for the loss of our Party leader and reiterate that this mutual commitment and loyalty shall continue for future generations also,” he said.
He further said the death of Makhdoom Amin Fahim was not only a loss of the Makhdoom family and the PPP but the entire country and its people, including party workers, supporters, Sarwari Jamaat and well wishers, was feeling the pain upon his death.
Bilawal prayed to Almighty Allah to grant courage and fortitude to Makhdoom’s family, party workers, Sarwari Jamaat supporters and all those in grief.
He also prayed for heavenly abode and peace to the departed soul.
He announced a day of mourning on party level tomorrow all over the country.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim was a man of enormous qualities; he was a seasoned politician, a prominent spiritual leader, a romantic poet, a true friend and an extremely polished and refined person who can be found in poems, songs and music.
Paying glowing tributes to Fahim, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the chief minister of Sindh, said that being the spiritual leader of the Sarwari Jamaat, Fahim always guided his followers not to lose the path of patience and respect and urged them to receive education, and “this is why majority of his followers are educated”.
The chief minister said that in politics Fahim promoted non-violent trends and respected his opponents also. “That's why he was widely respected by the people of different schools of thought and political ideologies.”
Fahim had the honour to start his parliamentary politics from the assembly seat Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had vacated from Thatta, Shah recalled and added that the political journey of Makhdoom Sahab which started with Shaheed Bhutto did not end with his life but he passed his PPP politics on to his son. The chief minister said that when he went to see him in hospital in Clifton, Fahim had expressed deep sorrow over the government move to implicate him in a baseless case.
He prayed to Allah to rest the departed soul in the eternal peace and grant courage to his family members and followers to bear this irreparable loss. He said the vacuum Fahim’s death had left in the politics and the party could not be filled.—Agencies

Fahim’s allegiance to PPP praised
Highly saddened by the demise of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani said the late senior leader of the PPP symbolised in him allegiance of any politician to his party as every Pakistani should show same level of loyalty to the political ideology he or she adhered to, adds our correspondent.
Talking to journalists after attending the convocation of Habib Public School at its main campus on Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road, he said the political services of the late PPP leader would always be remembered.
Rabbani said Fahim had always been at the forefront of struggle against dictatorship. He said Fahim’s association with the PPP was unwavering and he remained with the PPP till his last breath.
He said certain political principles followed by Fahim were unique and highly praiseworthy and they should be followed by all the Pakistanis and politicians.
To a question, the Senate chairman said his speech at the convocation ceremony delivered in the English language was no violation at all of the orders of Supreme Court for the imposition of Urdu being the national language in the country.
He said the Supreme Court had given three months’ time for the imposition of the Urdu language, which was too short a duration for such a gigantic task. He said that the introduction of Urdu in every office and department while replacing the use of English would take a lot more time.
Earlier, speaking at the convocation, Rabbani said he was very much pleased with his visit to Habib Public School as it was the same place from where he had commenced getting education. He said the graduating students of the school after entering into practical life should start serving their motherland at the earliest.
He said that some of the graduating students of the school would go abroad for pursuing higher education but his advice for such students was that they after completing education should come back to their native country for contributing towards the development and progress of their motherland.
He said the institution of Habib Public School symbolises in it the spirit and passion to serve Pakistan in all circumstances.
Rabbani added that graduating students of the school should strive hard, fulfil all requirements and formalities, and appear in all future tests and examinations for higher education as they should avoid any short-term plan for success in practical life.
The principal of the school, Nargis Alvi, earlier presented the welcome address. Some 178 graduating students with distinction received shields and certificates.