Pakistan Minister Syed Ali Zafar to attend Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral

Pakistan will send a representative to attend the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday in the national capital. The interim Prime Minister of  Pakistan has appointed acting Law and Information Minister Barrister Syed Ali Zafar to represent Pakistan at the last rites of the veteran BJP leader.

The 93-year-old leader passed away on Thursday evening after a prolonged illness. The final procession of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will take place on Friday in the national capital. The last rites of the three-time prime minister will be performed at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal at 4 pm.

Vajpayee is the 10th prime minister of India and will be cremated with full state honour. The mortal remains of the former prime minister which is presently resting at his Krishna Menon Marg home will be taken to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at around 9 a.m. Vajpayee's funeral procession will take place at Smriti Sthal at 1.30 pm.

He led the National Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004 and was the first-ever member of the BJP to become India's Prime Minister.

Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan on Thursday expressed condolences over the demise of the leader, saying his efforts for India-Pakistan peace will always be remembered. Khan said in a statement that Vajpayee was a prominent political personality of the sub-continent and his death has created a big void.

"Efforts of Mr Vajpayee for improvement in relations between Pakistan and India will be remembered forever," said Khan. He said Vajpayee started efforts for improving Indo-Pak ties and continued them after becoming prime minister.

"As foreign minister Vajpayee strived to open up ways towards normalisation of relations among neighbouring states and had successfully taken this agenda to new heights after assuming the office of prime minister," the statement read. Khan said, "I extend sympathies to the people of India in this hour of grief". He further said that by creating peace between the two countries, "we can truly recognise the service of Vajpayee".