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Mahmud Ali remembered

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Mahmud Ali was a true Bengali politician who remained committed to the cause of a united Pakistan and also the equal rights of all the federating units, former foreign secretary Akram Zaki said this here on Tuesday.

He was addressing a function organized on the third death anniversary of the veteran Pakistan movement leader Mehmud Ali.

A large number of people including late Ali’s associates attended the event and eulogized the man for his services for the existence of Pakistan as a strong federal state.

Zaki said that at the time of the country’s break-up in 1971, Ali made a conscious decision to settle in what had remained of Pakistan.

“In recognition of his decision, the former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him advisor to the president on political affairs. Later, he was appointed minister of state for national affairs,” Zaki said.

“General Ziaul Haq elevated him to the status of full minister. Though he was never part of any cabinet, but successive governments retained his position as a minister in recognition of his sacrifices,” he said.

The former foreign secretary said Ali was known for his passion for the two- nation theory and he played a vital role in the accession of the Sylhet district to Pakistan.

He observed Ali believed Pakistan was not created for the feudal lords but for the poor people of Pakistan.

Old pals of the national leader, Samiullah Qureshi, Mian Siddique Akbar, Arshad Chaudhary and others also paid glowing tributes to the deceased. They said Mahmud Ali was a freedom fighter and a close associate of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

They said Mahmud Ali was also the founder of the Tehreek-e-Takmeel Pakistan and through this forum he would appeal to people to strive for the return of Bangladesh back to Pakistan’s fold.

He also campaigned for a plebiscite in Kashmir, they noted.

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