KARACHI, Nov 11: Syed Iqbal Haider, a former law minister and renowned human rights activist, died of cardio-respiratory failure in a local hospital on Sunday morning. He was 67. Mr Haider leaves behind his wife, a son and two daughters.

His funeral prayers will be offered at Imambargah Yasrab in the DHA Phase IV after Zohr prayers on Monday. He will be laid to rest in the Jannatul Baqi graveyard on the Hub River road.

Mr Haider had been suffering from lung ailment for several weeks and after a brief hospitalization, he was recuperating in his house. A couple of days ago he had a mild heart attack and was taken to the hospital where he died.

Born on Jan 14, 1945, in Agra, his family migrated to Pakistan after partition. He graduated from Karachi in 1964 and did his LLB from the Punjab University in 1966. He enrolled himself as an advocate in 1967 and proceeded to London for higher law education at Lincoln’s Inn. He became an advocate in the High Court in 1972 and the Supreme Court in 1978.

He was married to Iffat (Guddu) Haider, daughter of civil servant Tajamul Hussain and niece of Altaf Gohar, a former editor of Dawn. His two children Alizah and Hammad Haider are barristers and practicing in Dubai and second daughter Manahil is an educationist also working in Dubai.

Mr Haider entered politics and joined the PPP but then left it and joined Qaumi Mahaz-i-Azadi. He actively took part in the Movement for Restoration of Democracy against Gen Zia’s martial law and was jailed several times for his struggle.

He rejoined the PPP in 1988 and became an adviser to the Sindh chief minister from Jan 1989 to Feb 1990. He was elected a senator in March 1991 and besides serving on various standing committees of the Senate, he  served as minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs. He was re-elected to the Senate in March 1997.

Afterwards he got deeply involved in social welfare work and rose to become co-chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan of which he was one of the founding members. A few years later he left the HRCP office, but remained attached to it and worked as a member.

Lately, he had been vigorously active in matters relating to Indian and Pakistani fishermen who while fishing strayed into waters of the other country and were caught and jailed. He had also filed several cases on behalf of fishermen organisations and secured their releases. He was also involved in getting released the boats of the fishermen, rotting in the sea. During his legal career, he fought for the rights of workers and represented them in numerous cases in different courts free of charge.

He was associated with several organisations in different capacities, including civil liberties association of Karachi, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, Sindh Red Crescent Society and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Sports Foundation.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, in separate messages, condoled his death and lauded his services for strengthening democracy in the country.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, also issued a message lauding his contribution to the cause of justice and human rights in the country.

Members of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed deep sorrow and said he was one of the founding members of HRCP and greatly contributed to strengthening the organisation in its formative years. They said Mr Haider represented the HRCP at the Supreme Court in crucial cases relating to the status of bonded labour and missing people.

They said Mr Haider demonstrated a strong and unwavering commitment to human rights in the country, and often his would be the sole voice against honour killings and rights of the under-privileged and minorities.

Pakistan Peace Coalition and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and several other organisations also condoled the death of Mr Haider.