Zafarullah Khan Jamali

Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was a Pakistani politician who served as the 13th prime minister of Pakistan between 2002 and 2004. He holds the distinction of being the first and only elected prime minister from Balochistan. After his tenure in national leadership, he remained active in politics through various parties until 2018.

Early life and education

Jamali was born on 1 January 1944 into the Jamali family. This family held status as political, religious, and landlord figures in Rojhan village within the Commissariat Baluchistan of the British Indian Empire. This location is currently part of the Jaffarabad District in Balochistan, Pakistan.

He attended Lawrence College in Murree for his early schooling. He later completed his A-levels at Aitchison College in Lahore. Jamali was a talented hockey player during his youth. He eventually earned a bachelor's degree from Government College, Lahore, before receiving a master's degree in political science from the University of the Punjab in 1965.

Career

Jamali entered politics in 1970 when he joined the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Although he participated in the 1970 Pakistani general election, he lost that initial bid. He secured a seat in the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan during the 1977 general election on a PPP ticket. During this period, he served as a provincial minister under Nawab Mohammad Khan Barozai and managed portfolios for Law, Information, Food, and Parliamentary Affairs.

Following the imposition of martial law by General Zia-ul-Haq, Jamali allied with the military leader. He served as a state minister in the federal cabinet under Zia. In the 1985 general election, he was elected to the National Assembly from the Naseerabad constituency. This victory led to his induction into the Junejo federal cabinet, where he acted as the Federal Minister of water and power.

Political shifts saw him serve as the caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan in 1988 after the dismissal of the Junejo government. He was re-elected as Chief Minister following the 1988 general elections. Jamali also served in the Senate of Pakistan during 1994 and 1997. While he lost a National Assembly bid in 1990, he returned to the Provincial Assembly in 1993 using a PML ticket.

In July 2002, Jamali joined the Pakistan Muslim League (Q). He won his seat in the National Assembly during the 2002 general election. On 23 November 2002, he was sworn in as the 13th prime minister of Pakistan after securing 188 votes out of 342 available seats. He led a coalition government consisting of the MQM, MMA, PPPP, and a splinter group of the PML.

During his premiership, Jamali conducted significant diplomatic activities. In 2004, he visited Afghanistan to support President Hamid Karzai and pledged aid for roads, railways, and hospitals. He also traveled to the United States in October 2003 to meet President George W. Bush. To address regional tensions, he appointed a special envoy to improve relations with India regarding the Kashmir region.

Jamali unexpectedly resigned from his post in June 2004 following a three-hour meeting with General Pervez Musharraf. Media reports suggested that his resignation followed dissatisfaction from Musharraf regarding Jamali's performance and policy endorsements. He remains the fifth shortest-serving democratically elected prime minister in Pakistani history. After leaving office, he served as president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation from 2004 until 2008.

His later political career included joining the Pakistan Muslim League (N) in May 2013. He held a seat in the National Assembly from 2013 until May 2018. In June 2018, he left PML-N to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Personal life

Jamali maintained a deep passion for field hockey throughout his life. He previously played for the Punjab province and served as the chief selector for the national team. He also acted as the Chief-de-Mission for the 1984 Summer Olympics.

On 29 November 2020, Jamali was admitted to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was placed on a ventilator during his treatment. He died in Rawalpindi on 2 December 2020 at the age of 76. His remains were laid to rest in his native village on 3 December 2020.