KARACHI: Veteran politician and former speaker of the National Assembly Illahi Bukhsh Soomro passed away here on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. He was 98.

His grandson Sardarzada Maula Bux Soomro announced that the funeral prayers would be offered on Thursday (today) at 1pm at his Karachi residence.

Born on May 15, 1926, Mr Soomro was elected as the 16th speaker of the National Assembly on Feb 16, 1997.

He returned to the NA several times since 1985 and held several important portfolios in federal cabinets of former prime ministers Mohammad Khan Junejo and Nawaz Sharif.

He was first appointed as a provincial minister in the cabinet of late Sindh chief minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi in 1970s.

He was also a close aide to former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

The veteran politician, who was also an engineer, had made a record of becoming four times the chairman of the Pakistan Engineering Council.

In their separate condolence messages, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and many other politicians expressed their grief over his demise.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024