Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali passes away

Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali passed away aged 76 in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

The former premier had been critically ill for the past few days and had been put on a ventilator.

News of his demise was announced by Senator Sana Jamali.

Jamali will be laid to rest in his native town of Roojhan Jamali where his body will be flown via a chartered flight, family sources said.

On Monday, President Arif Alvi said that Jamali is critically ill and has been placed on a ventilator, after initially erroneously tweeting that he had died.

"I have deleted the tweet, based on wrong info with apologies to the family. Mir Zafarullah Jamali is on the ventilator. I talked to Omar Jamali who confirmed this. May Allah grant him immediate recovery," Alvi later wrote.

A day prior,  Jamali was reported to be battling for his life following a heart attack and severe breathing problems.

He was under treatment at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi for respiratory complications.

Talking to a TV channel, MNA Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali said that the former prime minister suffered a heart attack on Friday.

Who was Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali?

Born on January 1, 1944, Jamali hailed from district Naseerabad's Rojhan area. He began his political career in 1970 and after the general elections of 1977, became an MPA of the Balochistan Assembly on a PPP ticket.

He studied at Lawrence College in Murree and Government College in Lahore before obtaining a Master's degree in history from Punjab University.

Zafaraullah Khan Jamali served as Pakistan's prime minister from November 23, 2002 to June 26, 2004, and had the distinction of being the first from Balochistan to do so.

He stepped down in 2004 and nominated Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to take up the mantle.

He also briefly served as the chief minister of Balochistan.

During retired General Zia-ul-Haq's era, Jamali was appointed a state minister.

He had also served as the chairman of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

Condolences

Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was saddened to hear of Jamali's passing. "My condolences and prayers go to his family," he added.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

"May Allah bless his soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen," the statement quoted the army chief as saying.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi extended his condolences to  the former premier's family over his demise.

"I am extremely saddened to hear of his death," said Qureshi.

Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal also expressed his condolences, saying a prayer for the departed soul.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani expressed profound regret and sorrow over the former premier's demise. He prayed for Allah to grant his loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said the death of the former prime minister is the loss of another leaf from the tree of principled politics.

Jahangir Khan Tareen said he was saddened to hear about Jamali's demise. "May Allah give him the highest ranks in heaven and may He give the bereaved family patience to bear the loss. Ameen," he wrote.