THE death of Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo was certainly a great loss not only to his family but to the entire nation. In him, the nation has lost an ideological, political worker and a principled politician who did politics for a cause and not merely for self-aggrandisement. In today’s post-ideology world, politicians like Bizenjo are rare and in fact a dying breed.

Mir Hasil was the son of Mir Ghaus Baksh Bizenjo, who was a colossus of the politics of the left from the 50s till the late 80s. It is usually very difficult for a son to make his individual mark, when he is the offspring of such a famous father. Mir Hasil was certainly an exception to this rule.

Like his famous father Hasil Khan was a federalist. He believed in struggling for the rights of the Baloch and other exploited and marginalised nationalities within the federation of Pakistan.

For espousing the cause of the Baloch, he like his father before him, was at times not trusted by the establishment and on the other hand, the separatists also disliked him for talking about the federation. These militants had in fact assassinated many leaders and workers of their party.

Mir Hasil was a great believer in the 1973 constitution and the 18th amendment. Once in an interview he said that East Pakistan would not have separated had the 18th amendment been part of the constitution at that time.

In spite of being an MNA, a senator and a federal minister, the only property that Mir Hasil Khan left behind is an ancestral house in Nal Valley in Khuzdar, Balochistan. He was a great role model for middle class people with a progressive mindset. May his soul rest in peace!

Akbar Jan Marwat

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2020