Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former Sindh governor Kamal Azfar passed away in Karachi on Monday. According to party officials, he had been admitted to Ziauddin Hospital, where he breathed his last. His funeral arrangements are expected to be confirmed upon the arrival of his children from abroad.
Azfar was a close aide of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and served in several key positions during his political career, including PPP Karachi president, Sindh finance minister, and eventually Sindh governor in 1995, appointed by then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He was also deeply involved in local housing development, particularly for low-income residents of the city’s Lines Area.
Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to Azfar. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah described him as a “wise politician” whose services would be remembered. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman also expressed her sorrow, highlighting his role in shaping local government policy and his longstanding association with Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
Azfar was not only a politician but also a respected lawyer, scholar, and author. He was educated at Government College, Lahore, and Balliol College, Oxford, and was called to the Bar at Inner Temple, London. He practiced law in Karachi and frequently spoke at forums like the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF).
A prolific writer, Azfar authored several influential works on economics, governance, and constitutional matters, including The Chinese Synthesis, Pakistan: Political and Constitutional Dilemmas, and Waters of Lahore. His legacy spans both politics and intellectual discourse, leaving a lasting mark on Pakistan’s legal and political landscape.