MQM’s ex-federal minister Syed Safwanullah laid to rest

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) central leader and former federal minister Syed Safwanullah was laid to rest in a local graveyard on Monday.

He was admitted to the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) four days ago for treatment of kidney problems where he passed away on Sunday at the age of 83. The funeral prayers for Safwanullah were offered after Isha prayers on Monday at the Farooq-e-Azam Mosque in North Nazimabad Block K. A large number of people, including the MQM-P’s central leaders, parliamentarians and literary figures, attended the funeral prayers, including Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui, Abdul Waseem, Faisal Subzwari, Abdul Haseeb and Arif Khan Advocate.

The late MQM-P leader was elected to the National Assembly in the past. He also served as the federal minister for housing and works when the MQM was a coalition partner of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam during the era of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

He also served as the head of the Muhajir Rabita Council, an outfit claiming to be a group of elders of the Muhajir community. Safwanullah was also involved in various literary activities in the city as he served as the chief patron of the Saknan-e-Shahar-e-Quaid, a literary group that organised annual Aalmi Mushaira in the city for several years. He also served as an office-bearer of the Unikarians International, an association of the alumni of the University of Karachi.

MQM-P Deputy Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui expressed sorrow on the demise of Safwanullah and said Pakistan had lost an intellectual mind with his death. “His contribution to literature will always be remembered,” he added.