HYDERABAD: A member of the Talpur family – one of the important identities of Hyderabad – has returned to the Pakistan Peoples Party fold after around five decades.

Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur and Mir Rasool Bux Talpur – commonly known as Mir brothers – stood with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto when he had defied military rulers Gen Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq.

The Mirs had been part of the PPP ever since its formative years, but had left it after developing differences and discord in the ’70s. The Mir brothers then spent considerable time with Gen Zia and held important positions in government. In view of that discord, none from the Talpur family returned to the Benazir Bhutto-led PPP even after restoration of democracy when the party formed governments in 1988 and 1993.

Mir Hyder Talpur, son of Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur, has now joined the PPP and is contesting for Paretabad town’s chairmanship.

Hyder’s son, Mir Balach Talpur, contested as an independent candidate in the Jan 15 LG polls and joined the PPP after winning the seat.

Hyder’s paternal nephew, Mir Ali Ahmed, has become Tando Fazal’s vice chairman.

Hyder’s joining of PPP has come as a surprise in view of his father’s strained relations with the party. “Yes, I have joined PPP after around five decades ever since elders had left PPP during Bhutto sahab era,” Talpur said.

“When Bhutto sahab’s room booking in a hotel was cancelled during Hyderabad’s visit, my father and uncle had hosted him,” recalled Talpur, alluding to a booking cancellation in a hotel then owned by the Qazi family, now part of PPP.

The Mir brothers are from Sindh’s affluent class but still loved by the poor for their pro-people character. Mir Rasool Bux had organised labour unions, especially those of cart and rickshaw owners.

“It was in fact the time when the idea of forming the PPP had started doing the rounds in late 60s and first political gathering was held in the Mir Bungalow as a prelude to PPP formation,” Hyder said.

Mir brothers stood with Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, the sister of the Quaid-i-Azam, when she contested against Gen Ayub Khan.

“We had hung the largest lantern at our house,” said Mir Rafiq Talpur, Mir Rasool Bux’s son, alluding to her election symbol.

“The then president, Z.A. Bhutto, had appointed my father as Sindh governor after the disintegration of Pakistan,” he said.

According to Hyder, when Bhutto defied Ayub Khan, he was accorded a warm welcome at the Hyderabad railway station and taken to his house in a rally. His visits had increased substantially. Z.A. Bhutto used to stay in a bungalow where Mir Rafiq’s family is residing.

“My father wanted Bhutto to get a fresh mandate after the 1971 dismemberment of Pakistan. This was the beginning of a difference of opinion between them,” Hyder said.

“It had set the tone for differences which kept developing and then came Iraqi weapons allegations against my father,” he added.

Mir Rasool Bux Talpur resigned as governor in the wake of allegations against Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur.

“It was in 1976 when my father and Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur left the PPP and never returned to it,” said Mir Rafiq Talpur.

Gen Zia overthrew Bhutto’s government on July 5, 1977. Bhutto was executed on April 4,1979.

Mir brothers then became part of Zia’s regime with Mir Ali Ahmed being appointed as the defence minister and Mir Rasool Bux Talpur as senior minister in Sindh. Gen Zia had attended funerals of Mir Rasool Bux in May 1982 and then Ali Ahmed’s in 1987.

As PML-N candidate, Mir Hyder contested polls against PPP’s Naveed Qamar in Tando Moham-mad Khan in 1993 and 1997 polls. Mir also stayed with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as well in its formative period and remained Sindh president till 2002 before parting company with Imran Khan after finding him without any political vision.

Hyder also worked in late G.M. Syed’s Jeay Sindh Tehreek.

“My family’s discord came to an end when my elder brother Mir Nabi Bux Khan called on Benazir Bhutto after the dismissal of her 1988 government and she had offered him a central executive committee’s position as well,” Hyder said.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2023