HYDERABAD: The Awa­mi Tehreek (AT) organised a programme at its central office at D-10 here on Sunday for the soyem of its founder leader Rasool Bakhsh Palijo while his son, Ayaz Latif Palijo, also hosted a similar programme at his house in Qasimabad.

A large number of AT leaders, activists and supporters, as well as those of various nationalist groups, besides Palijo’s relatives and admirers from all walks of life, attended the programmes.

Informally speaking to participants of the programme at his home, Ayaz Palijo said his father was a legend and icon of politics, literature, philosophy and democratic struggles in Pakistan.

“His ideology revolves around parity, equality, merit and non-violent struggle for rights,” he said, adding that the veteran politician wanted the state to be governed under an independent policy rather than on the dictates of international imperialist forces so that the country’s peasants, labourers and all other citizens could enjoy equal rights.

He said the late Palijo wanted Pakistan to be ruled in line with the 1940 Resolution which enshrined an equitable distribution of the country’s natural resources and gender equality. He said that the veteran leader had abhorred corruption and opposed religious extremism and sectarianism and raised voice against these menaces.

Ayaz Palijo said his father always guided him on choice of books. “Only recently he called me from hospital to say that he wanted to have a chat with him over family related affairs, books and politics,” he said, adding that his father was a man full of life; no one could match his personal traits.

Justice Abdul Rasool Memon, Advocate General Zamir Ghumro, former MPA Faqir Waryam and many other prominent figures offered their condolences to Ayaz Paljo on the death of the distinguished politician.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2018