PPP ex-MPA Mir Hayat Talpur passes away

MIRPURPHAS: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Mir Haji Hayat Talpur passed away on Monday morning at the age of 83 after suffering from an illness.

Talpur remained undefeated in all elections he had contested from the provincial seat of Digri in Mirpurkhas district. He was born on April 13, 1937 and his father Mir Haji Fateh Mohammad Khan Talpur was also a well-known landlord.

He was among the few politicians who were never defeated and was elected a member of the Sindh Assembly a record seven times. He was referred as ‘Mir Hayat Sada Hayat’ due to his undefeated political career.

He was first elected an MPA in 1985 non-partisan elections and then again in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2008 and 2013. Talpur did not take part in the 2003 general elections during the era of General Musharraf for not having a graduation degree considered mandatory for contesting elections.

The provincial seat of Digri was contested and won by his nephew Dr Zulfikar Ali Talpur on the PPP ticket. Talpur did not take part in the last 2018 general elections due to health reasons and his grandson Mir Tariq Talpur won the seat instead.

PPP leaders including Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Senator Sassui Palijo, Senator Krishna Kumari Kolhi, Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani and Nisar Ahmed Khuhro have expressed their condolences over his demise demise.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari postponed his activities during his three-day visit to flood-hit areas in Sindh as a sign of respect for Talpur.