By Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti
Khalid Mehmood Soomro was the most loved religious leader in Sindh who worked for religious harmony, strived for the rights of Sindh. Despite being a religious leader he struggled like a nationalist for his province. He was a true son of the soil. He played a pivotal role in defusing sectarian rifts in Sindh. He studied at Chandka Medical College in 1976, and in 1984 he graduated with a degree of MBBS. He completed postgraduate studies in Islamic culture from Sachal Sarmast Oriental College Larkana, and completed his religious studies from the International Islamic University, Islamabad International Islamic University Islamabad, with distinction. Soomro obtained a degree from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, where he was a student of Gad al-Haq, the university Vice-Chancellor. His father belonged to a religious political party called Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan. in 1988, his political career started when he was chosen as Secretary General in Jamiat-ulmae-Islam [Sindh]. On several occasions, he was a candidate for the Provincial and National Assembly.
He served as Senator of JUI-F from Sindh in Senate of Pakistan. Soomro set up a welfare organization called Al Mehmood Social Welfare Organization Pakistan. He was assassinated in Sukkur on November 29, 2014, at age 55.