Karachi: Pakistan's prominent Sindhi leader
Bashir Khan Qureshi has died under mysterious circumstances
in, but initial reports said the cause of his death was a
heart attack.
54-year-old Qureshi, the chairman of Jeay Sindh Qoumi
Mahaz (JSQM), was on a party tour in Goth Dera Magsi area of
the province when suddenly he lost consciousness after having
dinner with other party workers, the Express Tribune reported.
"He had chest pain followed by a cough. Qureshi was
shifted to a local hospital where he died," the paper said.
His brother Maqsood Khan Qureshi said that Bashir Khan
had died due to cardiac arrest.
Soon after his death, Qureshi was taken to Chandka
Hospital, Larkana for postmortem.
JSQM General Secretary Asif Baladi said doctors at the
Chandka medical hospital in Larkana had carried out an autopsy
to confirm the cause of death, but some party workers suspect
he was poisoned, which resulted in his death.
He is survived by his wife, four sons and four daughters.
Qureshi was among the top nationalist leaders of Sindh.
He remained in prison on grounds of his nationalistic
activities for a period of six years and 10 months at various
times.
He had in recent weeks annoyed Pakistan government and
other political parties in the Sindh province with his fiery
speeches warning that Sindhis would not allow anyone to form a
separate province in Sindh.
According to family members, Qureshi will be laid to rest
in his ancestral graveyard in Ratodero.
The party has announced three-day mourning and a large
number of people have started heading towards Ratodero.
Business activities have come to a standstill in Sindh.
Universities and colleges have been closed while the
administration of Matric board in many districts have
postponed today's papers.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 07, 2012, 16:47