ISLAMABAD: Former National Assembly speaker and ex-foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan passed away after a brief illness on Friday. He was 86.

Omar Ayub Khan, Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and former federal minister, confirmed the death of his father on social media. The funeral will be offered tomorrow (Saturday) at 3:00pm at Village Rehana, District Haripur.

He was the son of former president and field marshal Ayub Khan and played an influential role in sustaining his father’s presidential rule after the 1965 presidential election.

Gohar Ayub Khan was a politician, business oligarch, retired army officer, and conservative figure of the Pakistan Muslim League, who held ministerial positions during the tenure of prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Prominent leaders from different political parties expressed grief over Khan’s demise and expressed condolences to his family.

President Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, PTI’s Central Media Department, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, ex-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finance minister and PTI leader Taimur Khan Jhagra, PTI Peshawar president Sher Ali Arbab, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Deputy Chairman Mirza Mohammad Afridi, Leader of the House Ishaq Dar and Opposition Leader Dr Shahzad Wasim condoled the death and said they were bereaved over Mr Ayub’s loss.