Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar
Mustafa Khokhar in 2013
Chairman Senate Committee on Human Rights
In office March 2018 – 10 November 2022
Member of the Senate of Pakistan (Senator)
In office March 2018 – 10 November 2022
Chairman	Sadiq Sanjrani
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Human Rights (Federal Minister)
In office 25 June 2012 – 16 March 2013
President	Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister	Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
Preceded by	Himself
In office 3 May 2011 – 19 June 2012
President	Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister	Yousaf Raza Gillani
Succeeded by	Himself
Personal details
Born	(1970-07-13) July 13, 1970
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party (2013-2022)
Other political affiliations	Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (2008-2013)
Parent	Haji Muhammad Nawaz Khokhar (Father)
Relatives	Taji Khokhar (Uncle)
Education	Cadet College Hasan Abdal

Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar is a former senator and human rights activist from Pakistan. He served as a member of the Senate of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, representing the Pakistan Peoples Party. He also served as an adviser to the prime minister on human rights from 2011 to 2013. He stepped down from his senate seat in 2022, expressing his discontent with the party’s direction.^[1]

Political career

He ran for the National Assembly of Pakistan from NA-49 Islamabad-II as an independent candidate in the 2002 Pakistani general election, but was unsuccessful. He received 30,016 votes and was defeated by Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, a candidate of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).^[2]

He ran for the National Assembly from NA-49 Islamabad-II as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML(Q)) in the 2008 Pakistani general election, but was unsuccessful. He received 34,546 votes and was defeated by Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)).^[3]

He ran for the National Assembly from NA-49 Islamabad-II as a candidate of the PPP in the 2013 Pakistani general election, but was unsuccessful. He received 44,646 votes and was defeated by Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a candidate of the PML(N).^[4]

Khokhar was elected to the Senate of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party on general seat from Sindh in 2018 Pakistani Senate election.^[5][6] He took oath as Senator on 12 March 2018.^[7]

Resignation

Two days after he revealed his intention to leave his position in the upper house of parliament, Senate of Pakistan Mustafa publicly announced and submitted his resignation as a senator on 10 November 2022.^[8]

As the head of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Khokhar has excelled in his role as a senator. He received numerous notices regarding the infringement of human rights across the nation as the chairman of the Senate subcommittee.

In a case involving human rights, he even called the IG FC Balochistan to appear.^[9] Khokhar was once warned not to hold a committee meeting on missing persons by a top military officer. But he immediately turned down his counsel.

Additionally, Bilawal's spokesperson had continued to be Khokhar.^[10] Being close to the party chairman makes him one of the few PPP leaders. He had stated in December 2020 that he was resigning as Bilawal's spokesperson but added that he was staying in the party. Khokhar was dissatisfied with the compromises made by the party leadership on matters like civil liberties and the constitution.

References