Kangan, Oct 11: Ghulam Maryam, wife of veteran Gujjar and religious leader Mian Bashir Ahmad, passed away Thursday afternoon at her residence in Kangan area of Ganderbal district. Maryam (84) is the mother of MLA Kangan and Minister for Forests and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad and sister of former minister Chowdhary Muhammad Aslam of Poonch.
“We received information in the afternoon that Ghulam Maryam was complaining of suffocation. A team of doctors from Sub-district Hospital Kangan rushed to her residence at Baba Nagri along with oxygen cylinder and other necessary equipment but she had breathed her last before the doctors reached,” Dr. Qazi Javaid, Superintendent SDH Kangan told Greater Kashmir.
“I was present at her home for check-up minutes before her death. She died of cardiac arrest,” said Dr Muhammad Iqbal, a retired doctor who is one of the family doctors of the Mian family. “Her knees were replaced some time before,” the doctor said.
People close to the Mian family told Greater Kashmir that besides family doctors, Ghulam Maryam was under constant treatment of doctors at SKIMS.
“Funeral prayers of the deceased will be held at Baba Nagri Wangat on October 12 at 2.30 p.m. after Friday prayers. She will be laid to rest at her ancestral graveyard in the same village,” the Mian family said.
As the news of the death spread, thousands of people from Baba Nagri and adjoining villages rushed to the Mians’ residence for condolence.
A number of social, political and religious organizations have condoled the Mian family and paid rich tributes to Maryam.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condoled the family. In a condolence message, Omar expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. He also conveyed his sympathy and prayed for peace to the departed soul.
All Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, Advisors to Chief Minister, legislators and prominent political leaders have expressed their grief over the death.
In their separate condolence messages, the leaders have prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST