Sherbaz Khan Mazari

Sardar Sherbaz Khan Mazari (Urdu: سردار شیر باز خان مزاری‎) (born 6 October 1930) is a prominent Pakistani politician and the former leader of the opposition in the National Assembly hailing from the Baloch, Mazari tribe situated in Rojhan-Mazari.

Early life

He was born at Rojhan on 6 October 1930 to Mir Murad Baksh Khan, Chief of the Mazari Tribe; he lost his mother when he was 1 and father when he was 2. As an orphan he, his two brothers and three sisters were placed under the guardianship of the British Government. He studied at Aitchison College at Lahore and until the independence of Pakistan in 1947 at the Royal Indian Military College at Dera Doon.

Politics

Sardar Sherbaz Khan Mazari entered politics by supporting Miss Fatima Jinnah, sister of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, against Ayub Khan in the Presidential elections of 1964. In 1970, he was elected to the National Assembly as an independent candidate. He was a signatory to the 1973 Constitution, as head of the independent group in the Assembly.^[1]

After the Bhutto-led army action in Balochistan and the subsequent banning of the National Awami Party, he formed the National Democratic Party. This was part of an effort to oppose Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's autocratic rule as well as to bring about peace in Balochistan. He served as the leader of the NDP from 1975 to 1985 and the leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 1975-1977.

A former friend of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, he became one of his main political opponents in the Pakistan National Alliance. The 1977 elections led to a civil agitation movement which ultimately ousted Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's government and brought in Martial Law under General Zia. DuringGeneral Zia's regime he again played a key role in opposing the military regime .He helped establish Movement for the Restoration of Democracy( MRD), an alliance of opposition parties which included the Pakistan Peoples Party. He spearheaded a movement against the military government as the Chairman of MRD's "Pakistan Bachao"(Save Pakistan) Committee. The resulting agitation caused widespread commercial disruption in Sindh and parts of Punjab and but was brutally suppressed by the army at a cost of many lives. It was only after Zia's death did democracy finally return to Pakistan.

A strong believer of democracy, Mazari was incarcerated on numerous occasions during both Zulfikar ali Bhutto and General Zia's rule. He was one of the few West Pakistani politicians to have opposed the army action in what was then East Pakistan against the Bengali's and the only opponent of Zulfikar Bhutto to have condemned his judicial murder. He has been an outspoken critic of the treatment meted out to Balochi separatists by the Central Government

He was defeated in the 1988 general elections due to differences within the Mazari tribe apparently engineered by "the Establishment" and retired from politics greatly disillusioned. In 1999, he wrote his memoir - Pakistan: A Journey to Disillusionment.^[2]

This autobiography not only received excellent reviews but also proved to be a best seller within Pakistan and among Pakistanis living abroad.

Family

He is the brother of Mir Balakh Sher Mazari, the chief of Mazari Tribe and former caretaker of the prime minister of Pakistan.

See also

• Hyderabad tribunal
• Sardar Sherazam Mazari

References