Former Punjab chief minister Manzoor Wattoo passes away

LAHORE: Senior politician and former Punjab chief minister Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, hailing from Okara, has passed away at the age of 86.

His family confirmed his death in Depalpur, where he had been unwell for some time. News of his passing triggered an outpouring of grief across political, social and public circles, with leaders from various parties issuing condolence messages.

Manzoor Wattoo was among the few Pakistani politicians who began their political career at the grassroots level and gradually rose to prominence in national politics.

He belonged to the well-known Wattoo family of Okara, which carved out a distinct identity in Punjab’s politics. Under the non-party local government system, he was elected as a member of the district council and later served as chairman of the Okara district council.

After being elected as a member of the Punjab Assembly in the 1985 general elections, he was chosen as speaker of the Punjab Assembly, where he demonstrated strong parliamentary skills and a firm grasp of constitutional matters.

He was re-elected in the 1988 elections and again served as speaker of the Punjab Assembly. He later held key positions, including chief minister of Punjab and federal minister for Kashmir affairs.

Following the 2018 general elections, Manzoor Wattoo retired from active politics. He will be remembered for his principled politics, parliamentary dignity and political insight, and his passing is being described as marking the end of an important chapter in Pakistan’s political history.