Diolch, Llywydd. It's with the heaviest of hearts that I make this contribution today. Mohammad Asghar, or Oscar, as we all knew him, was a man of immense warmth and kindness, a man who embraced us all with such profound respect, a man whose life was dedicated to enriching and supporting those around him, and a man who, so full of life himself, did so much to help people across Wales.

Llywydd, Oscar's sad and sudden passing yesterday will leave an emptiness in all who knew him. He was a man of such immeasurable love for others and, because of that, the sheer sorrow of his passing will be felt not just in this Chamber, but right across the world.

We all have events in our lives that shape us, shape our politics, shape who we are. I wonder about what the young Oscar saw and experienced. Born in 1945 in India, but two years later it was partitioned and his country became Pakistan. We know millions died at that time. We read about partition; the child that was Oscar experienced it. He had not only lived longer than many of us, he had also seen more. He was, of course, in Pakistan in 2007 when an attempt was made on the life of Benazir Bhutto. He was 30 yards from her when bombs went off and 130 people were killed. None of us—none of us—has seen such horrors.

His experiences were unique, and his approach to politics was unique to this Parliament. Oscar was, of course, the first elected representative of this institution from an ethnic and minority background, and he made sure to use that platform to widen every possible connection between the ethnic minority groups in Wales and this institution. He was the first Assembly Member to invite the Israeli ambassador to the Senedd to discuss peace, harmony and understanding between the Muslim and Jewish communities. He worked relentlessly to speak and listen to, and engage with people, and, in doing so, he made the Senedd so much more accessible to people. Groups, organisations, individuals from such a rich variety of backgrounds and religions have felt that the Senedd was welcoming to them, and that was because Oscar worked so hard to open the door and invite them in. Llywydd, I sincerely hope that, in the wake of Oscar's passing, every one of us will continue to build on that outreach and continue to open the Senedd doors to all.

Let us remember that he was the first Senedd Member in history to have a Sikh traditional kirtan held in the Senedd. As a man of deep faith himself, he was full of respect and tolerance for those who worshipped, and so it was a natural fit for him to be our group's spokesperson on faith. It was a role that was very important to him, and he worked hard to engage with faith communities across Wales and to build inter-faith networks across the country. The role allowed him to work once again with Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, who was then the Minister for Faith in the UK Government, and was a man that Oscar looked up to politically and cherished personally.

Oscar was, of course, a valued Member of the Welsh Conservative team, and he formed relationships with many of my colleagues here today. He was a kind employer who loved his staff, and so I extend my heartfelt condolences to Paul, Stephen and Gemma. Oscar saw his colleagues as an extension of his own family, and, because he was so warm and big-hearted, we will all carry memories of him that will make us smile. He had a warmth and generosity that was never hidden. I know that Members in other parties saw it too. He was generous in so many ways and with so many people, and he was also a rare thing in politics: someone who spoke no ill of others, who was not capable of hate, who saw in other politicians of all parties a shared commitment to achieve for their communities and their constituencies. I know that the grief we face in the Conservative group in this Welsh Parliament is one that is shared by other people and in other places. He cared so passionately for the people that he represented, and you could see his passion every day in his contributions in the Senedd Chamber. His commitment to his constituents was second to none.

For me, I will always have memories of campaigning with him across Newport. He was a joy to campaign with—always positive with a big smile on his face, and ready to meet people. He seemed to know absolutely everybody, and so campaigning around Newport with Oscar was always a pleasure—stopping to talk to anyone who came past us. He loved to be out in the community, talking to people and listening to their concerns, and despite the critics and the polls, he was determined to turn Newport East blue. He may not be with us in person at the next election, but you can be sure that his spirit will be there with us on every walk route around the city and at every door we knock.

Llywydd, anyone who knew Oscar knew he had a passion for cricket. He campaigned for Wales to have its own cricket team, and he tried hard for the Senedd to have its own team, too. But, above everything, Oscar was a devoted family man, who absolutely doted on his wife, Firdaus, and his daughter, Natasha. No other Member in this place ever spoke about his family as warmly or as regularly—he simply adored them both. Our thoughts are with them now as they navigate through life without their dear husband and father. They are suffering an immense loss, and we say to them both today that we are all here for you, to support you in any way we can.

There is something especially heartbreaking about today. It's not that we have come together to mourn, and we have done that too frequently in recent years; it is that we mourn in such an inhuman way. Our words may have warmth, but our interactions cannot. Oscar was such a tactile friend—an arm on the shoulder, a warm handshake and some people even got a hug. To sit here today in distant corners where we can't give a cwtsh to those who hurt and grieve is not an easy experience. Here we are in boxes on a screen; it's not natural, it's not human, and Oscar was one of the most natural and human of us all. On behalf of the Welsh Conservatives, I make this pledge to Firdaus and Natasha: we will forever honour your husband and father, and, as we grieve and by our actions in supporting you, we will show how much we honour him. He would have wanted no less than that, and that is what he and you shall get. Thank you.