Jehangir Badr: SAFMA, SDF organise reference

The South Asia Free Media Association and Social Democratic Forum jointly organized a condolence reference in the memory of PPP stalwart Jehangir Badr on Friday, which was addressed by party workers, journalists and senior leaders. Speakers paid glowing tributes while appreciating Badr's role as a true democratic soul and a man of high level of tolerance and sincerity. They also termed him as a doctrine of politics of agitation, pointing out that his role in the Movement for Restoration of Democracy would never be ignored.
PPP's stalwart Aslam Gill said Badr struggled against all dictatorships in the country. He never betrayed party leadership. His life was a beacon of light for party workers. He was a great Bhuttoist. He started politics from grassroots level and ended up as secretary general of the party. Gill said the establishment should not kill the PPP, as it is a symbol of federation. He said Badr was equally respected by all political parties in Pakistan. On the direction of BB, he said, Badr had interviewed Yousaf Raza Gilani when he joined party.
Wajid Ali Shah, a party worker, proposed to hold a reference for the international audience of Badr while lauding SAFMA for organising first of its kind reference for him. Mani Pehlwan, another party's old guard, said Badr had a credit of organising historic reception for Benazir Bhutto in 1986. Khalid Qayyum said he was also organising Kashmir campaign of Bilawal Bhutto and He remained stick to the ideology of Bhutto.
Another speaker proposed for setting up a political academy in memory of Badr. Hanif Tahir Advocate said Dr Jehangir Badr always promoted hard working party workers. His close friend Mutahir said Badr had devoted his political struggle to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and termed his death as a great loss to the party.
Baba Najmi paid him tribute through his poetry. Sohail Malik said Badr had always taken party workers as an asset of the party. He struggled for the poors. Both Musharraf and PTI invited him to join them but he was committed to PPP. He said Badr had planned a mammoth of reception for Bilawal Bhutto like he did for Benazir Bhutto. Khalid Saeed said Badr was a man of strong nerves and a darling of party workers.
Senior journalist Khalid Chaudhry recalled his long association with Badr, which started when both of them were student leaders at the Hailey College. Rafique Badr, brother of Jehangir Badr, said Badr's life was full of struggle and his services for the party would be remembered for a long time to come.
Imtiaz Alam recalled that he had carried Badr on his shoulders in student politics. Badr was not a product of PPP but an outcome of 1968mass movement. His greatest achievement was 1986 gathering for reception of Benazir Bhutto. He said Badr's heart got broken with the death of BB and he was massively disappointed. He was embodiment of Jiyala. He urged the PPP leadership to revert to its liberal and secular approach to win political field for Bilawal. He said the poor strata of society yet belong to Bhutto but the Jiyalas had got weakened in the absence of a new message from party leadership.