Ex-IG Punjab Rao Rashid Dies
'Pakistan Times' Wire Service

LAHORE: The venerated top police officer of mid-70s Rao Rashid died in Lahore on Wednesday.

He was confronted with protracted illness – mostly due to age factor, which was 82 years at the time of his demise on Wednesday.

Inducted in the 1948-batch of Police Service of Pakistan as ASP, with a unique record of service – late Rao Rashid, was elevated to the apex position – as Inspector General of Police [IGP] of the Punjab province.

Prior to this position, he was the head of the Special Police Establishment [SPE] – which was initiated by the then Prime Minister and founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party, late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Amid close and cordial relationship, the late ZAB assigned significant positions to late Rao Rashid – during his tenure as Premier of Pakistan.

After a pause, he was recalled to service by Ms Benazir Bhutto during her first term as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Late Rao Rashid was, then inducted to top executive slots.

After relinquishing government service, late Rao Rashid entered the arena of politics – staying an active leader of the PPP for a long time.

A large number of his colleagues and friends – both in bureaucracy as well as in the politics – attended the funeral prayers of Rao Rashid, held after Maghrib prayers in Block F, Defence.

There after, amid recitation of verses from the Holy Quran – he was laid to rest in the main graveyard.●