Well known Shia scholar Syed Ali Abid Zaidi, popularly known as Maulana Akhtar Zaidi, died on Saturday after a brief illness.

  He was 75. According to family sources the Maulana fell in the bathroom of his house in the Old City on March 4 and suffered serious injuries. He developed breathing problem while undergoing treatment at a corporate hospital and breathed his last at 2 pm.

   A scientist by profession Maulana Zaidi was one of the most popular sermonizer during the 68 days of Muharram mourning. He would speak at six different places in a day sometimes. "People liked his sermons and wept like children when he described the sufferings of Hazrath Hussain and his family members at Karbala, Ali Reza,'' a Shia leader said.

  He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. His funeral prayer will be said at Alawa Sartoq and later laid to rest at Daera Mir Momin, Sultan Shahi, at 2 pm on Sunday.