Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan — former president and two-time prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir  — passed away on Saturday, his family confirmed on Saturday.

Khan was reportedly hospitalised and under treatment for a heart ailment. He holds the distinction of being appointed AJK’s president and also serving as the prime minister twice.

Earlier this year, Khan, after more than a decade, had ended his association with the PML-N and rejoined the Muslim Conference (MC), according to Dawn.

Khan was among the pioneers of the PML-N in Kashmir, the publication reported.

Responding to his death, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry expressed grief, noting that Khan had raised his voice against Indian oppression in occupied Kashmir.

Khan was a righteous and principled politician, the information minister added in a statement.

More to follow.