Rajouri, January 20: Expressing his grief, Apni Party Vice President Choudhary Zulfikar Ali today said that Sardar Rafiq Hussain Khan was a towering personality and politician of high repute who was equally respected by all the sections of the Society.

Zulfikar said that he always worked untiredly for the welfare of the people of the erstwhile state in general and Rajouri-Poonch Region in particular.

“He always worked against the communal and divisive politics, and was a most secular leader of the area,” he added.

Choudhary Zulfikar Ali recalled his association with him, saying that “We worked together as first MLAs of PDP from Jammu Region in 2008 Assembly elections 11th Legislative Assembly of the erstwhile state and raised several issues being faced by the people of this region be it the hill Development Council, inter-district recruitment.”

“We fight tooth and nail for the cause of our people as opposition members in the state Assembly,” he remembered.

He said that “We have lost a loadable voice of the poor people, kindhearted human being, a statesman and leader of masses.”

He prayed that “May Almighty Allah grant him Janet-al-Firdous to the departed leader and courage to the family and his well wisher to bear this irreparable loss.”

“I express my sympathy and condolences with his family in general and to his sons i.e., Waseem Rafiq Khan and Nadeem Rafiq Khan,” he added while praying for the peace of the departed soul.(KNS)