Former senator Taj Afridi dies in M-1 motorway accident

ISLAMABAD: Former senator Taj Muhammad Afridi died on Friday after his vehicle met with an accident near the Colonel Sher Khan Interchange on the M-1 Motorway, according to a statement issued by the Motorway Police.

The police statement said Afridi was travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar when the crash occurred. It said he died in the accident, while his driver suffered minor injuries. The Motorway Police added that its personnel reached the site immediately after receiving information about the incident.

According to the same statement, the accident was reportedly caused by a technical fault in the vehicle.

Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed grief over Afridi’s death, the Senate Secretariat said, and offered condolences to the bereaved family. In a statement carried by the Secretariat, Gilani said Afridi’s parliamentary, political and public service would be remembered, and described his death as a major loss for the country and parliamentary circles. The statement also said Gilani credited the late former senator with contributing to public welfare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, democratic values and the legislative process.