Faryal Talpur

Faryal Talpur was born on 26 April 1958 to Hakim Ali Zardari. She belongs to Baloch family from Nawabshah, Sindh. She is the sister of Asif Zardari, the former President of Pakistan and sister-in-law of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto.

After Benazir Bhutto’s death in 2007, she became a legal guardian of Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. Beyond this responsibility, when her elder brother Asif Ali Zardari became president, he gave her the task of political wheeling and dealing on his behalf.

Faryal Talpur is described as a tough woman but the power enjoyed by her is simply because of trust and loyalty towards her brother, and was even tipped as his successor in case it came to that. She is regarded as amongst the most powerful people in the PPP.

She was re-elected as MNA for second time in2013 general election from NA-207 Larkana constituency. Her husband, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, is also an MNA from NA-227 in Mirpurkhas.

Talpur has remained an MNA for five years but has not held any official government position in the PPP government. She has been often alleged of running a parallel government in Sindh more powerful than the province’s chief executive.