Veteran politician and former Punjab governor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa passed away at his residence in Lahore after a prolonged illness, family sources confirmed on Thursday.
His death was also confirmed by former Punjab chief minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan. He was 90.
According to family sources, Khosa’s body will be transported to his native hometown in Dera Ghazi Khan, where his funeral prayers will be offered on Friday.
Born on October 20, 1935, in Bahadurgarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khosa remained a prominent and influential figure in the politics of South Punjab for several decades. He began his parliamentary career as a member of the West Pakistan Assembly from 1962 to 1965, marking the start of a long and enduring political journey.
He was elected multiple times to the Punjab Assembly, securing victories in the elections of 1970, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2008 and 2013. Over the years, he represented constituencies in Dera Ghazi Khan, including PP-201 and PP-243, and played an active role in provincial politics.
Khosa also served as the 31st Governor of Punjab from August 12, 1999, to October 12, 1999, during the tenure of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and president Muhammad Rafiq Tarar.
In addition to his provincial roles, Khosa served as a senator from Punjab from March 2012 to March 2018. Throughout his political career, he remained affiliated with several parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, and later Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
He contested the 2018 general elections as a candidate of PTI but was defeated by Amjad Farooq Khan. Following the 2018 elections, Khosa distanced himself from active party politics.
Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa is survived by his three sons — Hussamuddin Khosa, Saifuddin Khosa, and Dost Muhammad Khosa — all of whom have been involved in politics.
Widely regarded as one of the most senior and influential political figures from South Punjab, Khosa’s death marks the end of an era in the region’s political landscape.