LAHORE; Mian Muhammad Azhar, a senior political figure and former Governor of Punjab, passed away on Tuesday, as confirmed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). His death marks the end of a notable political career spanning decades. PTI extended its heartfelt condolences to his family, especially his son, Hammad Azhar — a prominent PTI leader and former federal minister, currently an absconder in multiple cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots.
Born in Lahore, Mian Muhammad Azhar held a significant place in Pakistan’s political landscape. He served as Governor of Punjab from August 1990 to April 1993 during a turbulent period in national politics. Later, he played a key role in the creation of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), becoming its founding president. His political journey saw a major shift when he joined PTI in October 2011.
Mian Azhar remained active in politics even in his later years. In the February 2024 general elections, he contested as a PTI-backed candidate from NA-129 (Lahore-XIII) before aligning with the Sunni Ittehad Council. In January 2024, he was briefly detained during a crackdown on PTI-linked figures following street protests called by PTI founder Imran Khan, though he was released shortly afterward.
His son, Hammad Azhar, a former federal minister for energy and finance, has been a key PTI figure but has remained underground due to multiple legal cases stemming from the May 9 protests after Imran Khan’s arrest.
Former Sindh governor and ex-PTI leader Imran Ismail expressed grief over Mian Azhar’s passing, calling him a “distinguished political figure whose contributions to national politics will be remembered.”
