Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, Sindh’s 31st governor, passed away on Wednesday in Karachi hospital according to spokesperson of Governor House. Agha Siraj Durrani, Sindh Speaker, will serve as acting governor until next governor is appointed.
Siddique, was appointed as Governor Sindh on 11th November, 2016 to replace former governor Dr Ishratul Ibad who served as governor for 14 years.
Zaman, 78, had served as the 15th Chief Justice of Pakistan from July 1999 till Jan 2000. Also, he was nominated as Presidential candidate by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party in 2008.
”Justice (R) Saeed-uz -Zaman was an upright and honest judge who never compromised on his principles and remained impartial in delivery of justice”, Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef commented on Governor Siddiqui’s death.
Soon after becoming the Governor, Mr. Siddiqui was admitted to hospital due to chest infection and related issues. However, he was discharged soon and a statement from the office of Governor House said that the governor was no more in danger.
Mr. Siddique’s two-month term makes him the shortest-serving governor in Sindh’s history. Before him, General (Rtd) Rahimuddin Khan was the shortest-serving governor who held the office for 2 months and 20 days.
The incumbent president of Pakistan Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, also held Sindh governorship for 3 months and 26 days. He was removed from office when General Pervez Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif’s government in a bloodless coup on 12th October, 1999. Mr. Mamnoon Hussain now stands as the third shortest-serving governor in Sindh’s history.
SaeeduzZaman, born in Luknow, migrated to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and later migrated to Karachi where he received his university education.