Veteran politician and three time member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sardar Rafiq Khan passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday morning, family said. He was 85.
A resident of Mendhar’s Harni village, Khan won assembly elections from Mendhar constituency in 1977, 1984 and 2008 elections. He also served as cabinet minister twice in the erstwhile state heading Industries and Commerce department.
Earlier, Khan remained as an independent politician after which he joined National Conference, then switched over to Janta Dal and later joined Peoples Democratic Party.
Before contesting elections in 1977, he had served as forester in Jammu and Kashmir forest department. He served as a minister twice in his political carrier after his LLB degree from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Aged 85, Sardar Rafiq Khan was ill for some time and breathed his last on Wednesday morning. In the late afternoon, his Nimaz e Janaza was offered in native village Harni with thousands of people taking part in it and offering condolences. Politicians from every walk of life condoled the demise of veteran politicians.