There was no issue of the paper on Oct 17, 1973, on account of the death anniversary of prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan. The excerpt below is taken from the previous day’s edition.

EDITORIAL: Memories of the freedom movement have been pushed further into darkness by the death … of Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad. One after another, the stalwarts of the struggle for Pakistan have been leaving us, breaking the living link with that momentous period. But the sudden death of Raja Sahib heightens this sense of loss more acutely for he was among the youngest of them. His death almost tolls the knell of a parting era. …

Though he was always recognised as a prominent leader of the freedom movement and a close associate of the Quaid, a solemn appraisal of his role in the struggle brings out features which have not been fully appreciated. … Raja Sahib had also made major monetary contributions to the [Muslim] League. The Quaid-i-Azam asked him to organise the Muslim students of the sub-continent, and he became President of the All-India Muslim Students Federation. … He was a noble soul, a rich man who lived a simple life. People who know him will recall his belief in the need for comprehensive socio-economic changes in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2023