Lahore, June 13: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Malik Meraj Khalid died here today after a protracted illness, his family announced. His family said Khalid was suffering from heart problems and died in hospital in the afternoon. Khalid, 89, a seasoned parliamentarian and former speaker of the National Assembly (Lower House of the Parliament) had served as caretaker prime minister for three months after the dismissal of the government of then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1996. Khalid belonged to the peasant class and was known for his socialist ideology. He commanded respect of both treasury and opposition benches as speaker of the Parliament under Bhutto's first government in 1988-90. Bureau Report