Former President Mamnoon Hussain Passed Away

Mamnoon Hussain, the former President of Pakistan and loyalist of PML-N breathed his last on Wednesday in Karachi at the age of 80.

He was a long-time loyalist of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and was associated with the party through the 70s and 80s. In 1993, when Ghulam Ishaq Khan removed Nawaz Sharif from Prime Ministership, there was a lot of guesswork that he might be holding party’s leadership, however, that did not happen although he was serving as the Chief Minister of Sindh at that time.

He also served as an advisor to the chief Minister Sindh, Liaquat Jatoi and also acted for a short stint as the Governor of Sindh.

In 2013, when Sharif selected him as a candidate for presidency he was serving as the senior vice president of the party, and his candidacy was a response to calls from PPP and other provinces to look to other provinces while appointing individuals to high offices. Sharif had referred to his nomination as someone who was “non-controversial”.

Hussain was elected the 12th President of Pakistan on July 30th, 2013 and resigned from his PML-N membership as soon as the results of the election were announced as a move to establish himself as an unbiased president.

His five year term was completed on September 8, 2018. He replaced Asif Ali Zardari and was succeeded by the acting President of Pakistan- Arif Alvi.

He was diagnosed with cancer in February, 2020 and was under treatment in Karachi in a private hospital when he breathed his last.

The former President has left behind a widow and three sons. The time and place of his funeral has not been announced yet.

Politicians belonging to all parties expressed grief and shared their sorrow on the passing of the Former President.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also shared the sadness over his demise saying that, “ He was Nawaz Sharif’s trustworthy, loyal and ideological companion who stood by the party through all lows and high”.

“His services for the country and nation will always be remembered “, added Sharif.

The acting President of the country, Arif Alvi also shared the sorrow of the bereaved family.

PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Murtaza Wahab , Senator Javed Khan and many other politicians paid their condolences.

He indeed served his office with great dignity and honor.

After completing his tenure as President of Pakistan on September 9,2018 he nearly abandoned politics and adopted a very low profile.