Junaid Jamshed buried amid moving scenes

 Maulana Tariq Jamil leads funeral prayers

KARACHI: Thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of Junaid Jamshed on Thursday, who was among the 47 people killed in a plane crash last week.

Politicians, senior military officers, cricketers, singers and fans were among those who attended the funeral prayers held at a cricket ground in the DHA. On the occasion, moving scenes were witnessed as the family, friends and the general people expressed their heartfelt emotions at the tragic demise of their favourite personality.

Meanwhile, funeral prayer for Junaid’s wife Neha was offered in Lahore. "I cannot believe that Junaid is no longer with us," said Maulana Tariq Jamil, a renowned Islamic preacher, who led the funeral prayer.

Junaid’s funeral was held more than a week after his death as the family awaited a DNA report to verify his remains. His body was buried at the graveyard of Darul Uloom Korangi, a prestigious seminary.

Earlier, the coffin wrapped in the national flag was brought from PNS Shifa hospital, after it had been transported to Karachi on Wednesday evening onboard C-130 from Islamabad. Born in Karachi in 1964, Jamshed shot to fame in the late 1980s as lead singer of the boy band "Vital Signs" where his dashing looks and brooding vocals made him a style icon and heart-throb for a generation emerging from the harsh rule of military dictator Ziaul Haq.

However in the early 2000s, Junaid left his career in pop to become a member of the Tableeghi Jamaat. Sindh Governor Justice (R) Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui expressed sympathies with the bereaved family. “Junaid’s countless efforts for the country and his services for the spread of Islam cannot be forgotten,” the governor said.

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhter said services rendered by Junaid would always be remembered and his death was a big loss for the country. Pakistani nation would never forget him, he remarked.

On the other hand, the funeral prayer of ill-fated PK-661’s Co-pilot Ali Akram was offered at Race Course graveyard in Rawalpindi. Among others, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Rawalpindi Corps Commander Lt-Gen Malik Zafar Iqbal, former test cricketers Rashid Latif and Saqlain Mushtaq, PIA officials and a large number of citizens participated in the funeral prayer.