Across the country’s political and social circles, deep sorrow and grief is being expressed on the demise of veteran politician, three-time Speaker of the Punjab Assembly and three-time Chief Minister, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Khan Wattoo.
Today, prominent leaders including Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari have expressed their condolences on the demise of this seasoned politician.
Born on August 14, 1939, in the Firozpur district of India, Wattoo’s family settled in the Wasawaywala area of Haveli Lakha after migration. He received his early education locally and later graduated from Government Islamia College, Lahore.
Wattoo’s political journey began with an unsuccessful attempt as an independent candidate in the 1977 general elections. His career in local politics was strengthened when he became a member of the District Council in 1982 and was elected Chairman of the Okara District Council in 1983. His provincial influence began after winning a Punjab Assembly seat in the 1985 non-party elections.
He reached the pinnacle of provincial power in 1993 when he became the Chief Minister of Punjab after a successful no-confidence motion against Ghulam Haider Wyne. He held the province’s highest administrative office on three different occasions, while he was also the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly three times. Later, his Junejo League formed a crucial alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which paved the way for one of his appointments as Chief Minister.
The career of this veteran politician was also filled with significant challenges. In 1995, he established his own political party, the Muslim League (Jinnah), but failed to achieve success in the 1997 elections. Later, he faced an inquiry from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and was sentenced to five years in prison on corruption charges. During his imprisonment, he wrote the book “Crime of Politics” and met with fellow prisoner Asif Ali Zardari.
After his release, Wattoo was elected as a member of the National Assembly in 2008 and joined the PPP, where he was appointed as the Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Commerce, and Kashmir Affairs. However, the 2013 elections marked a decline in his career, as despite being the head of PPP Punjab, he lost on all his seats. As a strategic move for the 2018 elections, his children contested on a Tehreek-e-Insaf ticket while he himself entered the race as an independent, however, he was defeated. He formally rejoined the PPP in 2020 and remained with the same party for the rest of his life.
Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo has left behind a prominent political family. His children, including daughters Rubina Shaheen Wattoo and Jahan Ara Wattoo, and sons Moazzam Jahanzeb Wattoo and Mian Khurram Jahangir Wattoo, are carrying forward his legacy by being elected to the national and provincial assemblies and holding various political offices.