PM’s aide Naeemul Haque laid to rest in Karachi

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s close aide and special assistant Naeemul Haque was laid to rest amid an atmosphere of grief and sorrow in Karachi’s Gizri Graveyard on Sunday.

Haque, one of the founding members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, died on Saturday at the age of 70 in Karachi. He had been battling cancer for the past two years. His funeral prayers were held after the Asr prayers at Masjid Aisha, Khayaban-e-Ittehad, in DHA.

PTI leaders and government officials, including Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, Deputy National Assembly Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Federal Interior Minister Brig (retd) Ijaz Shah, and PTI’s central leader Aleem Khan, attended the funeral. A large number of workers, office bearers and parliamentarians of PTI's Karachi wing were also present at the funeral. Leaders of various political parties, including the Mutahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, were also present at the last rituals.

Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant of Prime Minister on Information, also reached Haque’s residence ahead of his funeral prayers.

PM Khan, however, could not attend his funeral prayers. Awan said that prayers will be held for him at the Prime Minister's House today (Monday). They will be attended by family and friends of Haque, federal ministers and PTI leaders, she said.

PTI’s Karachi Chapter has announced three days of mourning following the leader’s demise and suspend all of its political activities as a sign of respect over Haque’s demise.

Haque was the former central information secretary and one of the founding members of the PTI. He was also the former president of PTI's Sindh Chapter. Before joining the PTI, he was a part of Tehreek-e-Istiqlal Pakistan and contested elections from Orangi Town in 1988 general elections. When the PTI came into power in 2018, he was appointed the Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Political Affairs.