Former Pakistan foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan passes away at 86

Pakistan's former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Islamabad, Pakistan on May 30, 1998. (REUTERS)
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Updated 17 November 2023
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Former Pakistan foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan passes away at 86

  • Gohar Ayub was Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s son and served as his aide while he ruled the country after the 1958 coup
  • President Alvi expressed sorrow over the former foreign minister’s passing and offered his condolences to the family

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former foreign minister and ex-National Assembly speaker, Gohar Ayub Khan, passed away on Friday, as confirmed by his family, after a brief illness.

A retired army officer who attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the 86-year-old politician was Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s son and served as his aide while he ruled the country following the first military coup in 1958.

Gohar Ayub resigned from the army as a captain in 1962 before setting up his own business and entering politics in the 1970s.

“Mr. Gohar Ayub Khan Former Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan and former Foreign Minister, passed away peacefully after a brief illness,” a notification posted on the social media account of his son, Omar Ayub Khan, read.

“His Namaz-e-Janaza [funeral prayer] will be offered at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, 18th November, 2023 at Village Rehana, District Haripur,” it added.

Gohar Ayub’s son, also a politician and former federal minister, has served as the secretary-general of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

President Arif Alvi, elected to the National Assembly on a PTI ticket in the last general elections before getting the top state office, expressed deep sorrow over Gohar Ayub’s passing and offered heartfelt condolences to his family.


Pakistan receives third batch of humanitarian aid from China for flood-hit communities

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Pakistan receives third batch of humanitarian aid from China for flood-hit communities

  • Intense rains and floods this year killed more than 1,037 people, displaced millions and damaged crops on vast tracts in Pakistan
  • The arrival of the latest consignment comes at a time when the onset of winter season has compounded problems of displaced people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has received a third consignment of humanitarian assistance from China for flood-affected communities in the country, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.

Intense rains and floods this year killed more than 1,037 people and damaged crops worth billions of dollars in Pakistan, which ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change.

The deluges displaced millions of people as they damaged more than 229,000 homes, washed away 2,811 kilometers of roads, 790 bridges and over 22,800 livestock in affected areas.

Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which received the shipment, appreciated timely assistance by the Chinese government for disaster relief efforts in Pakistan.

“The shipment marks the continuation of China’s humanitarian support,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. “It includes 100 boats, 5,000 tents, and 8,000 blankets.”

China has so far provided Pakistan with 33,000 blankets, 6,000 tents, 100 boats, 1,000 life jackets and 4,000 sleeping bags, according to the report.

The arrival of the latest consignment coincides with the onset of winter season, which has compounded the problems of displaced Pakistanis.

The NDMA reiterated its commitment to mobilize all available resources and ensure the provision of relief items in affected areas strictly in accordance with “ground needs and evolving situation assessments.”