Last rites of Byram Avari performed

Karachi: The last rites of renowned Pakistani hotel industry tycoon and Parsi community leader Byram Dinshaw Avari, who passed away on Sunday night at the age of 81, were performed at his residence adjacent to the Beach Luxury Hotel on Monday.

Sindh ministers Saeed Ghani and Imtiaz Shaikh, Sindh Muslim League-Nawaz President Shah Mohammad Shah, Tariq Hasan, and well-known industrialists and businessmen participated in the last rites of Avari at Khurshed Villa.

Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Shazia Atta Marri expressed deep grief and sorrow over his sad demise. In her condolence message, she said it was saddening to learn about the death of Avari. She expressed her heartfelt sympathies and condolences with the bereaved family.

The minister prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude. Avari was also a two-time Asian Games gold medalist. He won a gold medal with Munir Sadiq in 1978 and a gold medal with his wife Goshpi at the Asian Games in 1982.

The late Avari was a Karachi-based businessman who owned the Avari Towers Hotel and Avari Group of Companies. He was running the Avari Hotels in Karachi and Lahore as well as in Dubai. He owned the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi and was also managing a Ramada Hotel in Canada.

He was also awarded the Presidential Award of Excellence in recognition of his services to the country. He had been seriously ill for a long time. After the last rites, his body was taken to the Tower of Silence located in Cyrus Minwalla Colony near Mehmoodabad.

He is survived by his wife and three children. According to family sources, Avari had colon surgery in a private hospital a few days ago, after which his health condition became critical. Later the doctors transferred him onto a ventilator.