ISLAMABAD: Expressing his condolences on the sad demise of former Boxing champion Muhammad Ali, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has termed him a role model, whose courage and commitment to principles was exemplary and without any comparison.
In a press statement here, he said the life of Muhammad Ali was a saga of struggle against heavy odds where his excellence in boxing skills matched his courage of convictions, whether it was his conversion to Islam, his early opposition to the American war in Vietnam or his recent criticism of the racism and religious bigotry of Donald Trump.
“Muhammad Ali was a product of a period when Blacks in America were not treated as equals and he faced a triple injustice since he was Black, a Muslim and a vocal opponent of policies of the American establishment, as a result of which he was deprived of his title as the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 1967,” he said.
But he (Ali) fought back and won his battle for justice in the US Supreme Court four years later in 1971, he said. “Ali will be remembered by millions of his fans worldwide as the greatest sports personality of all times, as a courageous crusader for his principles which he always upheld and as a person who never gave up despite the difficult odds,” he said.
Senator Mushahid said that Pakistanis join the American people and millions worldwide in mourning the passing of the greatest world champion whose personality and achievements have left an indelible mark on history. He recalled his meeting with the late Ali in Washington in 1975, where he showed a lot of warmth, affection and liking for Pakistan and its people.
