Senior politician Mian Azhar laid to rest in Lahore

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Former Punjab governor Mian Azhar has been laid to rest in Lahore's Garden Town area after his funeral prayers were offered outside Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Mian Azhar, the father of PTI leader Hammad Azhar, passed away yesterday at the age of 82.

A large number of people including family members, close friends, and political figures attended the funeral. Hammad Azhar also joined the last rites of his father.

Dunya Media Group Chairman Mian Amer Mahmood, MD Naveed Kashif, former foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri and retired Lieutenant General Arshad Mehmood were among the prominent figures who attended the funeral.

Mian Azhar's funeral prayers were led by Sheikh-ul-Hadith Prof Maulana Muhammad Yousuf Khan.

Punjab Sports Minister Faisal Khokhar, PTI leaders Jamshed Cheema, Farrukh Javed Moon, along with PML-N leader Khawaja Hassan Ahmad, also offered the funeral.

Nawaz, PM Shehbaz offer condolence

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the passing of senior politician Mian Muhammad Azhar and extended their condolences to the bereaved family.

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif stated that the late Mian Azhar’s father had a long-standing relationship with his own father, the late Mian Muhammad Sharif.

He prayed, “May Allah Almighty grant forgiveness to Mian Muhammad Azhar and give patience to his family. Ameen.”

Political career

Starting his political career as a worker, the astute politician Mian Muhammad Azhar served as the Mayor of Lahore from 1987 to 1991 and as the Governor of Punjab from 1990 to 1992.

His early political affiliation was with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and later, during Nawaz Sharif’s exile, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) as founding president and later joined the PTI in October 2011.

He was elected MNA from NA-129 (Lahore-XIII) in the February 2024 general elections.