Rich tributes paid to late PPP leader Saeed Khan

PESHAWAR: The leaders and workers of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday eulogised services of the party founding member Saeed Ahmad Khan, who recently passed away.

In their separate chat with The News, they shared their experiences while working with late Saeed Ahmad Khan but each one termed him a true jiyala and dedicated and honest worker, who always raised voice for the workers at every forum. Hailing from Peshawar city, Saeed Ahmad Khan known as Lala, they said that Saeed Lala remained PPP city President for 16 years. He also remained as General Secretary, Peshawar city during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s time. He also served as ward president.

Saeed Ahmad Khan also served as provincial deputy general secretary and member of the party’s federal council. The workers recalled that he was the only PPP leader from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who spent more time in jails than other leaders. He served time in Peshawar, Haripur and Dera Ismail Khan jails. He also remained adviser to former chief minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao in 1988. Saeed Ahmad Khan was a close confidant of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The senior PPP leaders recalled that ZA Bhutto would call him “comrade.”

His colleagues said he always raised his voice for workers and that was why he was considered an “ideological worker.” Saeed Khan had an electronics shop in Khyber Bazaar and was also a founding member and president of traders association in the city. Saeed Khan, 70, suffered from multiple health problems. He is survived by two sons and two daughters. One of his sons is an engineer living in Canada while his daughters live in America.