Elahi Bux Soomro

He was one of few politicians who have been very close to Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

He was a close and childhood friend of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, favourite of Zia-ul-Haq for the post of Prime Minister, the first minister appointed in the cabinet of and by Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Benazir Bhutto used to call him "Uncle", a very close aide to Nawaz Sharif and Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and before 2002 elections, the top army officials had announced his name for the premiership.

He was a strong candidate for Prime Minister at numerous times in the 1980s as well.

Soomro remained Director General of the Karachi Development Authority, Managing Director of S.I.T.E, Rector of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, NED University of Engineering and Technology and Jinnah Medical and Dental College, and above all he made a record of becoming four times Chairman of the Pakistan Engineering Council, each for three-year terms.

[2][3] Soomro died from a cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Karachi, on 9 October 2024, at the age of 98.