Manmohan Singh's childhood friend dies in Pakistan

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Manmohan Singh's childhood friend dies in Pakistan

Islamabad, Sep 26 (PTI)

Raja Mohammad Ali, a childhood friend of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has died in Chakwal district of central Pakistan at the age of 78. Ali, a resident of Gah village in Chakwal, died of a heart attack early on Friday. He was buried in the village's graveyard.


The people of Gah were planning to hold a special event to celebrate Singh's birthday on September 26 but the ceremony has been cancelled following Ali's death.Ali, who had served as chairman of the local union council, had a shop in Chakwal city's grain market.

Due to his friendship with the Indian premier, Gah was declared a model village and many development projects were launched there.

Ali always advocated the need for peace between India and Pakistan.Singh and Ali were classmates in Gah's primary school and Ali used to call the Indian premier by his nickname "Mohna".They studied together till Class 4 before Singh's family migrated to India.
Ali's relatives informed friends in Amritsar about his death and the news was subsequently conveyed to the Prime Minister's Office.

Ali's wish to meet his childhood friend came true in 2008, when he visited India on the invitation of the Prime Minister.On May 30, 2008, the two met in New Delhi and Ali gifted a 110-year-old shawl, 'Chakwali jutti' (shoes) and soil and water from Gah to Singh.

In return, Singh gifted Ali a turban and an embroidered shawl.

Manmohan Singh's childhood friend dies in Pakistan