Former AJK Assembly speaker passes away.

MUZAFFARABAD -- Sardar Mohammad Siab Khalid, a former speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly and sitting member of the AJK Council, passed away in Poonch on Monday - six days before his 83rd anniversary.

Mr Khalid, who was elected Legislative Assembly member (MLA) five times between 1986 and 2011, had suffered a stroke some time ago and was receiving regular medical treatment in Rawalakot and Rawalpindi.

On Sunday night, he returned from Rawalpindi to Chirroti Pachiot village on the outskirts of Rawalakot where he breathed his last at around 4pm on Monday.

A law graduate, Mr Khalid started taking part in politics from the platform of Muslim Conference (MC) from mid 1960s.

In 1985, when the MC formed its government with Sardar Sikandar Hayat as prime minister, it had a very narrow difference with the combined opposition.Perhaps in 1986, through a constitutional amendment, the ruling party added six special seats to the assembly's strength and got Mr Khalid elected against the one reserved for technocrats. In 1991, when the MC regained power, Mr Khalid was once again elected against the same special seat. He also held the ministerial berth in the government led by Sardar Abdul Qayyum.

In 2001, Mr Khalid returned as MLA for the first time in direct elections swept by the MC. He was made Legislative Assembly speaker. He lost the 2006 general elections to Sardar Khalid Ibrahim of JKPP. However, when the latter resigned from his seat in Jan 2009, Mr Khalid was elected in by-poll and briefly served as minister in Raja Farooq Haider and Sardar Attique-led...