Veteran Pakistan Movement leader. The Bengali politician who had remained committed to the cause of united Pakistan till the very last Mahmud Ali was a veteran Pakistan Movement leader. At the time of the beak-up of the country and creation of Bangladesh Ali had made a conscious decision to settle in what remained of Pakistan. In recognition of his decision, the then government of Z. A. Bhutto appointed him advisor to the president for political affairs and later Zia Ul Haq appointed him minister for national affairs and elevated him to the status of full minister. After leading the Pakistan delegation to the UN in 1971, where he learnt about the fall of East Pakistan on 16 December 1971, he came to Islamabad where lived since his demise. Mahmud Ali was known for his passion for two-nation theory and would be best remembered for his contribution, along with others, in the 1946 referendum following a campaign that Sylhet should join Pakistan. Being the founder of the Tehreek-e-Tekmeel Pakistan movement and through this forum he would go on appealing the people to support the dream of making the Pakistan Resolution a reality, and eastern Bengal's return to the fold. He was a provincial minister in the former East Pakistan. He authored two books, 'Quaid-I-Azam and Muslim Economic Resurgence' and 'What Should We Do Now'. In his latter book he deals with the dismissal of Prime Minister, Khawaja Nazimuddin, by governor-general, Ghulam Muhammad, and the subsequent dissolution of National Assembly in 1954. This was a watershed year after which Pakistan slipped into undemocratic rule, according to Mahmud Ali. He was the founder editor of The Concept, a monthly magazine. Mahmud Ali who was born in a notable family of politicians and scholars of Sylhet passed away in Lahore.