PM Shehbaz remembers Khaleda Zia as a committed friend of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Zia.

In separate posts on X, both leaders conveyed their condolences to Khaleda Zia’s family and the people of Bangladesh, praising her leadership and contributions to her country.

President Zardari wrote, “Her leadership and services will be remembered with respect.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his tribute, highlighted Khaleda Zia’s lifelong dedication to Bangladesh’s growth and development, calling her death a significant loss. He also remembered her as a “committed friend of Pakistan” and extended Pakistan’s heartfelt solidarity with the people of Bangladesh during this time of grief.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.

Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan. My Government and the…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 30, 2025

“We stand with the people of Bangladesh in this moment of sorrow,” PM Shehbaz stated.

Both leaders prayed to Allah Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the people of Bangladesh to bear this loss.

Khaleda Zia, who became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister in 1991, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80 following a prolonged illness.

She had advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, and chest and heart problems, her doctors said.

She went to London for medical treatment in early 2025, staying for four months before returning home.

Though Khaleda had been out of power since 2006 and had spent several years in jail or under house arrest, she and her centre-right BNP continued to command much support.

The BNP is seen as the frontrunner to win the parliamentary election slated to take place in February. Her son and acting chairman of the party, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to the country last week from nearly 17 years in self-exile and is widely seen as a strong candidate to become prime minister.

Since August 2024, after a student-led uprising led to the ouster of Hasina, Bangladesh has been run by an interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel peace laureate.