Islamabad: President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 71.
According to family sources, Barrister Sultan had been suffering from liver cancer and was under treatment at a private hospital in Islamabad, where he breathed his last.
His funeral prayers will be offered at 3:00 pm on Sunday at Khari Sharif, while burial will take place later in his native area.
Barrister Sultan Mehmood, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was elected as President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in August 2021, securing 34 votes out of 52 in the electoral college. He had also served as PTI’s regional president and was elected multiple times to the AJK Legislative Assembly, including from LA-3 Mirpur-III.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi and other political leaders expressed deep grief and sorrow over his demise.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi termed the death of Barrister Sultan an irreparable loss for Azad Kashmir and Pakistan, saying he was a seasoned politician, senior jurist and a prominent voice for the Kashmir cause.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry was a committed advocate of Kashmir whose lifelong efforts significantly highlighted the issue of Kashmir at national and international forums.