Daily Times

ISLAMABAD – President Dr. Arif Alvi Sunday expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the death of the veteran leader of Awami National Party (ANP) and former lawmaker Begum Naseem Wali Khan.

In his condolence message, he prayed for the departed soul and for the bereaved family to bear the loss with equanimity. He expressed sympathies with the bereaved family over her death. He said that the late leader’s political contributions would be remembered for a long.

In a separate message, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also expressed his grief over the death of Begum Naseem Wali Khan. “I am saddened by the death of Begum Naseem Wali Khan, the leader of the women’s movement and Khudai Khidmatgar Movement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said in a tweet.

Pakistan Muslim League-N President and opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tributes to Begum Naseem Wali and said she took an active part in politics and was the first woman to get elected on a general seat from Pakhtunkhwa. “Her services for the empowerment of women will be remembered for a long time. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” he said.

Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari expressed his grief over the demise of the Pakhtun leader, who fought for democracy in the pro-democracy movements. PPP leader Faryal Talpur also expressed her deep sorrow and grief over the demise of the ANP leader. “Begum Naseem Wali’s struggle is a beacon for Pakistani women,” she said.

Also, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed his condolences on the sad demise of former lawmaker Begum Naseem Wali Khan. “May Almighty Allah blesses the departed soul in eternal peace and gives solace to the bereaved family,” the ISPR quoted the military chief in a tweet.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani also mourned the death of the ANP leader and expressed condolences to the family. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed grief over the death of Begum Naseem Wali Khan. He said that the late parliamentarian was a fearless woman whose contribution would be remembered.

The spokesperson of the ANP, Samar Haroon Bilour, while talking to the media said that Begum Naseem Wali was a fearless lady. She was the first lady to have entered the parliament on ANP ticket. She was a resilient soul and struggled for the betterment of the country and the party. She mentioned her to be a leading figure. Samar told that she was a torchbearer for the women in the ANP.

Governor Shah Farman, PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat, Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi, Azam Khan Swati, Farrukh Habib, Rehman Malik, Dr. Mehreen Bhutto, Faisal Karim Kundi, Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, Kamran Bangash expressed their grief on the sad demise of the ANP leader. The ANP has announced three-day mourning on the death of Begum Naseem Wali Khan.