PM, CDF pay respects to Ali Khamenei

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday paid glowing tribute to the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, hailing his decades-long leadership as one defined by rare wisdom, political sagacity, and a profound imprint on the course of the Iranian nation.

In a statement posted on X after attending the funeral ceremony in Iran, the prime minister reflected on Khamenei’s enduring legacy, noting that he had steered Iran through decades of change with steadfast guidance and statesmanship.

Invited by Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, the prime minister attended the funeral alongside senior Pakistani leadership, including Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The late leader, who had embraced martyrdom on 28 February 2026 during attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, was honoured at a state-level ceremony attended by high-profile regional dignitaries.

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Prime minister Shehbaz expressed full solidarity with Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, President Pezeshkian, and the Iranian people during what he described as a moment of deep national grief. He also prayed for the forgiveness of the departed leader.

The Pakistani delegation was notably large and politically significant, comprising Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, alongside other senior officials.

A parliamentary delegation led by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and numerous lawmakers, also joined the funeral prayers.

Following the ceremony, the prime minister departed for Istanbul on an official visit to Turkiye.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026