HALA: The fourth death anniversary of veteran politician and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim is being observed today.
Makhdoom Muhammad Ameen Faheem was born in Hala in Sindh, which is located 200 km off the southern port city of Karachi, on 4 August 1939.
His father, Makhdoom Muhammad Zaman was the 17th spiritual leader of Sarwari Jammat and as well a powerful feudal figure in the province.
His father was one of the prominent 67 participants who laid the foundation of the Pakistan Peoples Party where he was made the senior vice-chairman of the party and PPP was found at his house in Hala, Sindh. Makhdoom Muhammad Zaman ‘Talib ul Mola’ successfully contested in the 1970 general elections and stepped into the national parliament as a member of parliament (MP).
Makhdoom Muhammad Zaman was also offered many high-ranking posts in the time of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, but he refused and chose to stay in Hala and look after his Sarwari Jamaat.
Earning Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Sindh in 1961, Amin started his political activism in 1970 and contested successfully in the 1970 general elections and was a close ally of Benazir Bhutto during the 1990s.
He is the spiritual figure of the Sarvari Jama’at as well as the prominent sufist in his native province, Sindh. After successfully contesting in the 2008 general elections, he notably stepped down for the candidacy of Prime minister office in favour of Yousaf Raza Gillani.
He was a Pakistani populist left-wing figure and a poet. He was the senior vice-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and Former Chairman of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.
Makhdoom was offered the post of Prime Minister in 2002 by then-President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, keeping in mind his party’s leader Benazir Bhutto’s refusal to appoint Mr. Amin Fahim’s son Makhdoom Jameel Zaman as the Chief Minister Sindh, though he was offered the post of Prime Minister thrice before 1988–1990 and 1993.
He remained loyal to his party and did not accept offers from then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the military dictators. Makhdoom Amin Fahim was the senior vice-chairman of PPP and is also the Parliamentary Leader, (President) of the same party in the National Assembly.
He was twice the Federal Minister in the tenure of Benazir Bhutto. He was Communications Minister from December 1988 to August 1990, Railways Minister from December 1988 to March 1989. In the next tenure, he was Minister for Housing and Works from January 1994 to November 1996.
Initially, Makhdoom Amin Fahim was more interested in poetry than politics. However, he had no choice but to jump into the fray as the political heir of Makhdoom family.
He once said, ‘Poetry is my first love. I am still fond of saying verses and reading the poetry of others’ His forte is mystic poetry. His poetry speaks about love, peace, and simplicity.
“I have always been fond of the poetry of Maulana Rumi, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, and Sachal Sarmast. Their poetry has left a deep impact on my life. I have learned from them (Poets) to be loyal, to be loved, in good or rainy days”
He further said, ‘I don’t believe in ruling the people. I believe in ruling their hearts. That is why my voters love me, and they never disappointed me’.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim held the slot of Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians when he died in Karachi on 20th November 2015, after long illness.
