Senior politician and late Benazir’s uncle Mumtaz Bhutto passes away in Karachi

Former governor and chief minister and a political heavyweight of Sindh’s politics Mumtaz Ali Khan Bhutto passed away in Karachi on Sunday. He was 88.

Mumtaz Bhutto was the first cousin of the founder of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and former prime minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and uncle of late Benazir Bhutto.

His funeral prayers will be held on Monday and will be laid to rest at a graveyard in Mirpur Bhutto in Larkana district, according to the family sources.

Condolences poured in on the news of his demise from Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi and other politicians.

In a tweet, Imran prayed for the departed soul. "Saddened to hear of the passing of Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto. My condolences and prayers go to his family," the prime minister tweeted.

Alvi also expressed grief over the demise and prayed for patience for the family while extending his condolences. "May God grant him a place in paradise," said the president.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif said he was saddened by the news of Mumtaz’s death.
"He played an active role in [the] political history of Pakistan," Shahbaz tweeted.

In a tweet, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan also prayed for the deceased's family and friends to cope with the "huge loss."

In a tweet, Fatima Bhutto, niece of Benazir Bhutto, said."Very sad to hear about our uncle, Mumtaz Bhutto's, passing."

The chief of Qoumi Watan Party, Aftab Khan Sherpao, also expressed sorrow over the death of Mumtaz. In his tweet Sherpao said. "Sad to hear about the demise of ex CM and governor of Sindh. He was a close of friend of Hayat Sherpao Shaheed and both were in the forefront in the struggle against Ayub Khan."

Mumtaz was born in Larkana in 1933 and became a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly on March 5, 1965.

When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto announced founding of the PPP in 1967, he was one of the founding member of the party.

He was elected as a Member of the National Assembly in 1970 general election defeating a political heavyweight Qazi Fazlullah.

When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became the first elected prime minister of Pakistan, Mumtaz was named governor of Sindh on Dec.24, 1971, while made Sindh’s chief minister in May 1972.

He was also the federal minister for Railway Communications and Shipping Corporation. After differences with the PPP, he became the first convener of the Sindhi Baloch Pushtoon Front (SBPF) in 1985. Later he formed his own party, the Sindh National Front.

He was elected to a seat in the provincial assembly from Larkana in October 1993 general election.

Mumtaz was the caretaker chief minister of Sindh in 1996. In 2011, he merged his party with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). After differences with

Nawaz Sharif, he left the PML-N in 2016. In 2017, he merged his party with the ruling PTI.