Hakim Ali Zardari
| Hakim Ali Zardari | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
|
In office 1972–1977 | |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
|
In office 1988–1990 | |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
|
In office 1993–1996 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1930 Nawabshah, British India |
| Died |
24 May 2011 (aged 80–81) Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Political party | Pakistan Peoples Party |
| Other political affiliations | National Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) |
Bilquis Sultana Zareen Ara |
| Children |
Asif Ali Zardari (son) Fauzia Zardari |
| Profession | Businessman, Agriculturist |
Hakim Ali Zardari (1930 – 24 May 2011, Urdu: حاکم علی زرداری) was born to the personality of Muhammad Hussain Zardari and was the grandson of Sajawal Zardari. He basically belonged to the Zardari family, a Baloch family of Hooth Baloch origin settled down in the province of Sindh. He was the father of Ex-Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and father in law of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Hakim Ali Zardari was married twice in his life i.e. Dr. Zareen Ara Zardari and to Bilquis Sultana Zardari.
Famous as Rais Hakim Ali Khan, he was a landlord by the birth and the proposed head of the Zardari tribe. He had been engaged in the Pakistani politics since the period of 1960s and had facilitated as a federal minister twice.
A Sindhi Tribal Head
As the greatest landowner of his tribe, he was appointed as tribal chief after the death of his father. He has thousands of acres of farmland in the area of Sakrand, Nawabshah.
Zardari Tribe
Around the year 1985 Zardari tribe contained over 70,000 persons whereas Hakim Ali Zardari was the Tribal Head till his death after the year 2011 Asif Zardari gave it to his son as a fatherly gesture to the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Early life
He was born in 1930 in the village of Fatohal Zardari to Mohammad Hassan Zardari.[1] His mother was originally from Iraq.[1] He received his initial education from mosque school and completed his matriculation from DC High School in Nawabshah.[2]
Political career
Zardari started his political career in 1965 when he was elected member of the Nawabshah District Council and later its vice-president.[2] He supported Fatima Jinnah in the 1965 presidential elections against Ayub Khan.[2]
In 1970, he joined Pakistan Peoples Party as its founding members. He also got elected head of the Zardari tribe in 1970.[2]
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party in Pakistani general election, 1970.[2][1]
He was again elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party in Pakistani general election, 1988.[2][1]
He was then again elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party in Pakistani general election, 1993.[2][1]
He was imprisoned in Nawaz Sharif and Pervaiz Musharraf tenures and was implicated with his son for the murder of Federal Secretary Alam Baloch.[1]
Business career and wealth
He built cinema houses in Hyderabad and Karachi and worked as a film distributor. He also produced a Sindhi film, Soorat.[2]
He had a house in Normandy, France which he bought for 724 million dollars.[3] The National Accountability Bureau filed a reference against him for having assets beyond source of income and was sentenced for five years of rigorous imprisonment, a fine of 18.5 million rupees and disqualified him from holding any elected office for 10 years.[3] On health ground his house was declared as sub-jail.[3]
On 24 January 2007, Sindh High Court overturned his conviction made by the accountability bureau.[3]
He was also convicted in similar case in Lahore for making shady transactions with various organisations for establishing a tourist village at Rawalpindi National Park through Zardari Group. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail and asked to pay a fine of 20 million rupees but this was also overturned by Lahore High Court in 2002.[3]
Personal life
He married twice[1] and had four children; Asif Ali Zardari former President of Pakistan ( 2008 - 2013 ), Fouzia Zardari, Azra Peechoho and Faryal Talpur. He also had an adopted son Owais Muzaffar Tappi.
Death
Hakim Ali Zardari was admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in March following multiple organ failure. He died in the hospital on 24 May 2011 at age 81.[2]