By: Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti
Qamar Bhatti-a well known political leader of Sindh and was among a few nationalist politicians who turned into an icon of commitment and struggle. Born on Jan 21, 1958 in Faiz Mohammad Khokhar village of Naseerabad taluka in the undivided Larkana district, Bhatti got his primary education in Badah. After passing his 10th grade in 1969, he completed his intermediate education from a college in Larkana in 1973. He graduated from the University of Sindh and did his masters in economics from the same university in 1982.
He also studied law and obtained the LLB degree from Larkana in 1987.
He wrote two collections of poetry Geet Be Munjha Goliyoon in 1984 and Hind Mein Jalawatan Sindhi in 1987. He authored 10 books during the martial law rule of General Ziaul Haq and another 17 later. Some of them are Mahkoom Mulzim, Hakim Judge Subhas Chandra Bos, Mohajiran jo Mustaqbil and Sain G.M. Syed Ji Syasi Aen Zaati Zindagi. Besides, he contributed articles on politics, literature and history to newspapers and journals and wrote some dramas.
During his struggle as a Sindhi nationalist, he also contested for a provincial assembly seat. In 2015, he had filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, seeking a ban on televised speeches of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder leader Altaf Hussain. Since his student life, he remained with the Jeay Sindh Students Federation and eventually became a close aide to G.M. Syed. In 1992, he founded Jeay Sindh Qaum-parast Party.
He also remained in the forefront during the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in 1980s. He spent around 13 years of imprisonment in different periods. He was also flogged during the martial regime and remained underground for many years to escape arrest.