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| Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali (Balochi, Urdu: میر ظفراللہ خان جمالی; born January 1, 1944) is a nationalist conservative[1] politician and former sports administrator,[2] serving as the thirteenth Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2002 until his resignation in 2004.
Originally a supporter of Pakistan Peoples Party,[3][4] Jamali emerged in the politics of Balochistan Province in the 1970s, under military governor Rahimuddin Khan. He became a national figure as a part of the government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and served as the Chief Minister of Balochistan in two non-consecutive terms from June 1988 to December 1988, and 1997 to 1996. Although a senior leader in the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and Sharif's confidante, Jamali's relations went cold, and he subsequently joined the dissident's party after the 1999 coup led by General Pervez Musharraf. After participating successfully in the 2002 general election, Jamali won the bid for the Office of Prime Minister after his supporters and colleagues left their respected parties to support him. On 21 November 2002, Jamali was appointed as thirteenth Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first ethnic Baloch to hold that office.[5][6]
Jamali vowed to transform Pakistan's economy into broader free-market principles, and implemented intensive economic shock therapy, price liberalization and privatization programmes.[7] His political and economic philosophy emphasized the macroeconomics principles and subsequently improved the financial services, revenue and taxation in an attempt to control foreign debt, hyperinflation and social problems.[7] His economic policies reached to expanded record level, producing 13.6% GDP per capita for the national economy.[8] Jamali successfully oversaw the country's transformation of two-party system into the multiparty democracy system, and oversaw the implementation of constitutional restoration in the country. On 26 June 2004, Jamali announced a surprising announcement of his resignation, leaving the office into hand of his economic minister Shaukat Aziz (although Shuja'at Hussain served as an active Prime minister).[9]
Early life
Zafarullah Khan Jamali was born in the "Rojhan Jamali"[3] village of Dera Murad Jamali, in Nasirabad District of Commissariat Baluchistan of British Indian Empire on 1 January 1944.[10] Jamali hails from an educated Baloch family who had been under influence of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. His uncle, Jafar Khan Jamali, was a prominent leader of the Pakistan Movement, and was a close associate of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Founder of Pakistan; his family had been active in politics since 1932.[11] After completing his high school education from Saint Francis Grammar School in Quetta,[10] Jamali attended the elite public colleges, first studying at the Lawrence College at Murree where he did O-level and later proceeded to Aitchison College in Lahore where finally completing the A-levels with high marks in his studies.[5] Jamali applied and inducted in the Government College University where he obtained Bachelor's degree (with honors) in Business Administration in 1963,[10] followed by MA in British history from the Punjab University in 1965.[5] Jamali was a "Blue" holder of Punjab University in university's hockey in 1961-65 and also captained its team.[5] In 1965, Jamali joined the national hockey team of Pakistan represented Pakistan as a hockey player at international level.[5]
Upon returning to his native province, Jamali performed variety of public and social works which motivated him to come in the public life with real commitment and dedication for the service and welfare of the masses.[10] During this time, Jamali began to take interest in national politics and decided to join the centre-left, democratic socialist Pakistan Peoples Party after listening to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's speech during his visit to Balochistan.[3]
Member of Pakistan Peoples Party
In 1970, Jamali joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and since had been an active member of the party.[3] Through the PPP platform, Jamali participated in the 1970 parliamentary elections and was elected unopposed.[4] In 1972, appointing a new government, Jamali was elevated as the provincial Home minister and held departments of Food, Information and Parliamentary Affairs in the Balochistan's provisional cabinet.[4] After the 1977 parliamentary elections, he was again elected unopposed for the Balochistan Provincial Assembly and held the portfolio of the departments of Food, Information, Law and Parliamentary Affairs; although it was short-lived.[4]
After 1977, Jamali left the People's party due to party's tough stance on socialism and democratic socialist principles on economy. In 1980, Jamali joined the military governorship of Lieutenant-General Rahimuddin Khan and subsequently rose to national prominence.[4] Under the military governorship, Jamali headed the department of real-state, agrovilles and township planning, and played significant role in country's development of weapon-testing laboratories for national nuclear deterrence. In 1981, Jamali was elevated in the cabinet but left due to differences with General Zia-ul-Haq.[4]
Statesmanship
Jamali rose to public prominence in 1980 and has been associated with Foreign Service of Pakistan since 1980. He presented and headed Pakistan's delegation to the United Nations in 1980 and again in 1991. In 1981, Jamali headed Pakistan's delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy. In 1982, Jamali chaired Pakistan's delegation to the Islamic Agricultural Ministers Conference in Ankara, Turkey, and also led a 21-member delegation of the Parliament to the United States in 1982.
Jamali successfully participated in 1985 general elections and contested for the Prime minister's Secretariat. He competed for the seat of Prime Minister against Muhammad Khan Junejo and Ilahi Bux Soomro. However, Junejo won the slot due to his apolitical ideas and lack of understanding the government operations, although it was proved to be misconception. Jamali took the oath from General Zia-ul-Haq, and appointed as the minister of Ministry of Water and Power in the government of Prime minister Junejo.
Chief minister of Balochistan
In 1988, Jamali joined the right-wing conservative alliance, the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IDA), and appointed as the fourth Chief Minister of Balochistan Province of Pakistan in 1988. However, he lost the support of Pakistan Peoples Party ad was immediately succeed by nationalist Akbar Bugti.[5]
He remains active in politics and participated in 1990 elections and holding the chairmanship of Senate committee of economics, financial, and revenue services.[5] In 1993, Jamali joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) led by Nawaz Sharif as its senior vice president. In 1996, with the support of JUI-F, Jamali was again appointed as care-taker chief minister of Balochistan and secured his parliamentary seat in 1997 general elections.[5] As parliamentary member, Jamali was the chairman of the senate committee sports and physical development. He remains a powerful and public vocal of Pakistan's first nuclear tests (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) authorized by Prime minister Nawaz Sharif but his relations with the Prime minister went cold.[5] Problems with Nawaz Sharif arise in 1999 during the Kargil war and subsequently ended his support to the Prime minister after the 1999 coup d'état led by chief of army staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Pervez Musharraf.[5]
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