KARACHI: Veteran politician and Naib Amir Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Professor Ghafoor Ahmed passed away in Karachi after protracted illness on Wednesday. He was 85.

He was born on 26 June 1927 in Bareli, India. He earned a Masters Degree in commerce from Lucknow University in 1948 and later completed a course in Industrial Accounts.

He became a member of Jamaat-i-Islami in 1950 and held key positions.

Professor Ghafoor Ahmed was elected as a member of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in 1958. He was also elected a Member of National Assembly in 1970 and 1977 from Karachi.

He served as Secretary General of PNA in 1977-78, also member of the PNA team that undertook crucial negotiations with the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmed served as federal minister for Industries during 1978-79. He served as JI secretary general from 1988-90.

He was counted amongst the most respectable politicians of Pakistan.