It was the horrible afternoon of December 27, 2007, when everybody in the media was trying to learn about Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s condition after the terrorist attack on her at Liaqat Bagh. This scribe called Rehman Malik, her security chief. He took the call on the first ring and said, “BB is not breathing. Pray for her.” He was perhaps the first person to break the news. Other close aides to Benazir Bhutto were either unaware of her status or reluctant to give the bad news.

Senator Malik, a career official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), breathed his last on Wednesday after contracting Covid-19. He was 70. People who know him would say that Malik was a mesmeriser and a master of the art of charming people and winning hearts. After the assassination attempts on Bhutto and later, when he was the interior minister during 2008-2013 in the cabinets of Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the media would frequently heckle him. He was never upset and always responded to every query in a polite way. Several PPP stalwarts were jealous of him because of his proximity to Asif Ali Zardari and Benazir Bhutto, but they would never openly express their feelings about him.

Abdur Rehman Malik, commonly known as Rehman Malik, was born in Sialkot in 1951. He got a master’s degree in statistics from Karachi University in 1973 and taught statistics at the same university as a lecturer for almost a year. In 1975, he joined the FIA and worked in different capacities. In 1989, he served as chairman of the National Security for Sensitive Installations. In 1993, he was promoted as additional director general of FIA, where he served till 1996. His career in the FIA ended after President Farooq Leghari sacked the Benazir Bhutto government. Malik faced three cases and remained in jail for nearly two years.

Late Gen Naseerullah Babar, the interior minister in the second Benazir government, had discovered and selected him for several difficult tasks. Gen Babar introduced him to Benazir Bhutto and Zardari and he soon became the most trusted person to them. The couple thanked Babar for discovering Malik. He took care of Benazir Bhutto and Zardari’s security, including Zardari’s security while he was jailed and Malik was abroad.

As the FIA additional director general, he was reckoned amongst the three most powerful bureaucrats during 1993-96. He would not listen to the federal ministers complaining against officials serving under him. He earned a similar reputation in politics once he took centre stage in the PPP and came to be known as the person closest to Asif Zardari.

He had initiated several inquiries against Sharifs during 1993-1996. It was later said that he laid the foundation of the Avenfield Apartments Case against Nawaz Sharif. However, in 2006, Sharifs saw him in a pivotal role in London during the process of signing the Charter of Democracy (CoD). When Nawaz Sharif became prime minister in 1997, the FIA had registered four cases against Malik. He was arrested and sent to Adiala Jail. He got out of jail and went to the UK in 2001. The circumstances surrounding his departure to the UK remain a mystery as his name was on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Recognised as a hardworking, disciplined and powerful official, Malik was loved by those who worked for him. When Dr Tahirul Qadri staged a sit-in at D Chowk in 2012, Malik, despite being the top gun on interior affairs, would spend sleepless nights in the monitoring room.

As interior minister, he had the reputation of being the most powerful person in PM Gillani and Ashraf’s cabinets where he rubbed shoulder with the likes of Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Sherry Rehman.

As the FIA additional director general, he had been reckoned amongst the three most powerful bureaucrats during 1993-96. He would not listen to the federal ministers complaining against officials serving under him.

He earned a similar reputation in politics when he took centre stage in the PPP and was known as the person closest to Asif Zardari. Bilawal Bhutto also respected him since he had seen him taking care of his parents and the rest of the family since his childhood.

He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Karachi University. In recognition of his services as ADG FIA and interior minister, Sitara-i-Shujaat and Sitara-i-Imitiaz were conferred on him. He was the longest serving interior minister of Pakistan.

Malik leaves behind a widow, a doctor by profession, and two sons.

The author is a senior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher