KARACHI: Veteran politician Sardar Sherbaz Khan Mazari passed away here on Saturday, his family said. He was 90.

“The Mazari family is deeply grieved to announce the passing away of our cherished elder, Sardar Sherbaz Khan Mazari,” it said in a statement and added: “A devoted and loving patriarch, fiercely dedicated to his country, loyal to his friends — he commanded respect for his unwavering integrity. He was much revered by his tribe, where his sense of justice prevailed in resolving conflict through tribal decisions.”

Family members said that arrangements were being made to move Mr Mazari’s body to his hometown Rojhan Mazari where his funeral prayers were expected on Sunday [today].

A tribal chief from the remote Punjab-Balochistan border town, Mr Mazari was founder of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

In the 1970 elections, he contested as an independent candidate and was elected to the National Assembly.

Known as an extreme opponent of the military operation in East Pakistan which led to the fall of Dhaka in 1971, Mr Mazari served as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly between 1975 and 1977. Condolences poured in on his death on mainstream and social media where leaders of different parties remembered him as a man of strong character and ideologist.

“Extremely saddened to hear about the passing of Sardar Sherbaz Mazari. He was a man of principles and an extremely dignified politician. My condolences with the family,” tweeted Akhtar Mengal, president of the Balochistan National Party.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2020