Former Nazim of Karachi, Niamatullah Khan, was laid to rest at the DHA Phase VIII graveyard amid tears and anguish here on Wednesday. The chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Senator Siraj-ul-Haq, led his funeral prayers which were attended by thousands of people on the New M A Jinnah Road near Idara Noor-e-Haq.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Hussain, Murtaza Wahab, SHC Justice Aqeel Abbasi, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Chief of MQM (P), Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Amir Khan, Dr Farooq Sattar, Chief of PSP, Syed Mustafa Kamal, leader of MQM (H), Afaq Ahmad, former JI chief, Munawwar Hasan, representatives of the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and the Shia Ulema Council, people from other political and religious parties and members of the civil society attended the funeral prayers.

Leaders of different religious minority groups also paid tribute to the services of the late JI leader.

Naimatullah Khan, who passed away on Tuesday, was a gifted person who received admiration even from his worst political opponents.

In his address to the participants, Senator Siraj-ul-Haq eulogized Naimatullah Khan's services in the field of social welfare, his political wisdom and his dedication to the party.

He said that the fact that people from all walks of life had turned up at his funeral was an ample proof that late Naimatullah Khan had been a man of great integrity who had had no differences with anyone.

He was so popular that members of Hindu, Christian, Sikh and other communities were expressing their grief over his demise, he added.

"Naimatullah Khan served people of all caste and creed without any prejudice, and that is why people across Pakistan are grieving his death," Senator Siraj-ul-Haq said.

Karachi JI chief, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, said on the occasion that the late JI leader was a humble, honest and friendly person, who served people without any bias throughout his life.

Deputy chief of Karachi JI, Dr Osama Razi, said that all who had gathered here expressed their love for Naimatullh Khan.