Friends and colleagues of Imran Khan, the former Director of Public Information who died from Covid-19 Tuesday morning expressed shock at his passing, even as they urge responsible behaviour during this deadly pandemic.
Khan succumbed to the virus early Tuesday morning: a few days earlier he had struck a very hopeful tone in Facebook messages.
“It is hard to believe much less accept that Imran Khan has died. Guyana has lost a brilliant light, snuffed out by the covid killer disease. Our hope is that his wife Tamara will pull through.
This is indeed the dark time for all of us who have known and loved Imran,” former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo wrote on his Facebook page.
For his part, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon expressed similar sentiments. “It is with a heavy heart that I write on my own behalf and that of the APNU-AFC coalition to announce the untimely death of our friend and colleague Imran Khan who served as Communications Director in the office of the Leader of the Opposition up to today,” Harmon said in a statement.
“To his wife, Tamara, and other family members we offer our deepest condolences and regret.” Harmon, added: “When we read his upbeat note on Sunday asking for a fruit salad and praising coconut water we assumed he had passed the worst and was well on the way to recovery. The suddenness of his death some hours later attributed to acute respiratory failure has been a terrible shock to us all.”
“Imran was a passionate member of the coalition at the helm of public information. He was a Guyanese who believed that all Guyanese deserved a just and good life and used all his efforts to ensure that access to information underpinned that right. When he returned from his life in Antigua to join the coalition through the AFC he came with eagerness and an energy that was exemplary. Our grief is profound. Guyana has lost a true son.”
Khan’s wife, Tamara Khan has also contracted the virus.
Khan had appeared to be in good spirits last week, when he wrote on his Facebook encouraging persons to help him fight the disease as he was lonely.
“By the grace and strength of God I am still fighting this but it is getting lonely. I need more help and support. Please help me fight more. I can’t do this alone. Thank you,” Khan wrote last week.
He followed up later: ” Thank you for all your love, prayers, messages of encouragement and support. I am overwhelmed beyond explanation and I am in excellent spirits. Difficult to respond individually to everyone but in time I will.
Please be assured that I am fighting and there is no giving up.
One love!”
In a lighter note he wrote,: And now for the most important part…
Good thing is I am getting decent amounts of coconut water. Now if only some ingenious person can find a way to smuggle cut up apples, pinapples, grapes, watermelon and bananas to me I’d walk out of here in 5 mins. And I’d literally walk all the way home. Throw in some mango and I’d run.”
Khan had told friends he was extremely careful regarding the virus, conducting most of his activities virtually. He believes he contracted the virus recently when he stepped out to attend a meeting. He said he later found out the person he sat next to had contracted the virus. (Village Voice News)
