sd, , image = , caption = , office = President of Pakistan Muslim League (F) , term_start = 1985 , term_end = 10 January 2012 , predecessor = ''Position established'' , successor = Pir of Pagaro VIII , office2 = Former Member National Assembly of Pakistan , alma_mater =

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

, term_start2 = , term_end2 = , predecessor2 = , successor2 = , birth_date = , birth_place = Pir Jo Goth, Sindh,

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, nationality = Pakistani , father = Pir of Pagaro VI , children = Pir of Pagaro VIII (son)
Pir Sadaruddin Shah (son) Sayyid Shah Mardan Shah-II widely known as Pir of Pagaro VII ( ur, , sd, ; 22 November 1928 – 10 January 2012) was the spiritual leader of Hurs and president of political party Pakistan Muslim League (F). He was commonly known in Pakistan as ''Pir Sahib Pagara'' and ''Pir Shaab''. He was an influential figure in

Pakistani politics The Politics of Pakistan () takes place within the framework established by the constitution. The country is a federal parliamentary republic in which provincial governments enjoy a high degree of autonomy and residuary powers. Executive ...

and the leader of Hur Force in Pakistan who also participated in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He was also a

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officia ...

er. He died on 10 January 2012 in

, due to liver infection.

Personal life

Pir Pagara is a title given to the leader of the Muslim Sufi order of Hurs in Sindh province of Pakistan. It comes from the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

word " Pir" (elder or "saint") and the Sindhi word "Pagaro", which means Chieftain's Turban. The seventh Pir Pagara was Pir Syed Mardan Shah II. He was born in Pir Jo Goth, Sindh in 1928. Pir Pagara spent a major part of his life engaged in Pakistan's politics. His father Pir Sayyid Sibghatullah Shah II was hanged on 20 March 1943 by the colonial government due to his involvement in the Hur Movement.

Political career

After the defeat of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah by Ayub Khan in the presidential contest, Mohtarma declared the Muslim League functional and made Pir Pagaro the head of Muslim League. He was nominated as the first president of the United Muslim League as well. He was Chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), and spiritual leader of the 'Hur' jamaat. He was one of the most influential and respected political personalities of Pakistan. His predictions on Pakistan's politics were sometimes quoted in the media. He was usually visited by many senior politicians of Pakistan such as Sheikh Rasheed, Chaudhry Shujaat, Raza Haroon and

Shah Mehmood Qureshi Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi ( ur, ; born 22 June 1956) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 29th Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022. He previously held the post from 2008 to 2011. He has been a member of the Nationa ...

Cricket

Usually referred to in cricket literature as the Pir of Pagaro, he was influential in the early years of Pakistan's cricket development in the 1950s. Before Pakistan's first tour of England in 1954 he had a grass pitch constructed in his garden so that the Pakistan players, who had to play most of their cricket at the time on matting pitches, could practise in something similar to English conditions. He re-founded the Sind Cricket Association, captained Sind in the first-ever match in the

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition in Pakistan. With few exceptions, it has been staged annually since it was first played during the 1953–54 season. Domestic cricket in Pakistan has undergone many reorganis ...

in November 1953, and organized and captained a team under his name against the MCC in 1955-56.

Death

Pir Pagara was admitted to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on 24 November 2011, for the treatment of infected lungs. According to doctors, he was in a very serious condition and was therefore put on a ventilator and flown to London on a special air ambulance on 5 January, along with a physician and family members.Pir Pagara died in London 10 January 2012
/ref> He died on 10 January 2012 of a liver infection. His body was returned to Pakistan on the following day. Many political parties in Pakistan, including the Hurs, sent their condolences to the family. He was buried in his native Pir Jo Goth village alongside his ancestors. He was succeeded by his son

Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi III Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi III ( sd, صبغت الله شاهه راشدي, ur, ), also known as Raja Saein, the eighth Pir Pagaro, (born 14 February 1956) is a Pakistani politician who has served as a member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh. E ...

, known informally as ''Raja Saeen, both as the Pir Pagara and leader of Pakistan Muslim League (F).

References

External links