Mazari dies on PA floor

Former Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Sardar Shaukat Hussain Mazari breathed his last due to cardiac arrest here on the floor of the Assembly when he had just arrived to attend the 10th session on Friday.
He was rushed to Punjab Institute of Cardiology, but to no avail as he had silently passed away already on the floor of the House where his fellows desperately tried to breathe new life into him through resuscitation.

Shaukat Mazari had just reached the floor only a few minutes prior to his death. He had closed his eyes for good in sitting posture when his fellow tried to wake him up sans knowing that the senior parliamentarian had silently met his Creator. Mr Mazari was moved to be woken up, but his body reclined against the support of the bench.
Attention of the Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan and members was drawn, while many hurried in futility to save Mazari. His body was removed to PIC where he was received dead, as said by Medical Superintendent Dr Riaz Ahmed Chaudhry.

After this, gloom prevailed and silence dawned upon the floor, which is usually running feverish at a fast pace. Everyone was distrusting his eyes though hoping against hope for a good news from the hospital, which never reached the Assembly.
The House was adjourned till 3 pm on Monday (November 17). Ironically, it was the same day when Fateha was offered for former Deputy Speaker PA Sardar Hassan Akhtar Mokal, former Punjab Minister Dr Ashfaq-ur-Rehman, Balochistan earthquake victims and ones dead in various terrorist attacks as well.

An old Ravian and a veteran parliamentarian from one of the leading political families of Pakistan, he was the first MPA since 1947, who died while attending the session. His body will be taken to his native town Rojhan (Rajanpur) where he will be laid to rest after Namaz-e-Janaza at 3pm on Saturday (today).

Son of Sardar Muhammad Hussain Mazari, Shaukat Mazari was born on February 10, 1948 at Rojhan, and graduated in 1967 from Government College, Lahore and obtained the diploma of BCTD in Textile from Black Burn College of Technology & Design UK.
He served as Member District Council, Dera Ghazi Khan during 1979 and Rajanpur during 1982. He represented Pakistan twice in the United Nations General Assembly as a delegate in 1974 and 1995 and also represented Pakistan in an International Conference held at Basil, Switzerland in 1988-89.

He was elected Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly on November 27, 2002. He served as Provincial Minister during 1977, and as Deputy Opposition Leader during 1988-90. He was elected member Punjab assembly for fourth time in polls held on February 18, and later joined the PML-N.

His father-in-law Sardar A.M.K. Mazari was MNA during 1988-90, while his mother-in-law Begum D.S. Mazari was MNA during 1985-88. His cousin Sardar Balakh Sher Mazari was caretaker Prime Minister, and his great grandfather Nawab Sir Imam Bakhsh Khan Mazari was Chief Companion of the Indian Empire, Knighthood of British Empire (1884-1903); and cousin of his grandfather Nawab Sir Bahram Khan Mazari, was Member Privy Council, KBE from 1903 to 1923.