Begum Nusrat Bhutto, widower of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and mother of ex prime minister Benazir Bhutto, passed away in Dubai after protracted illness. She was 82.

Ms Bhutto, who was also mother-in-law of president Asif Ali Zardari, was born on March 23, 1929 in Esfahan, Iran. She came from the wealthy Hariri Esfahani family in Esfahan, Iran.

She had been staying in Dubai with the late Bhutto for more than 10 years. She was suffering from Alzheimer's disease for many years.

Nusrat Bhutto met and got married with the late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, founder the Pakistan Peoples Party on September 8, 1951. It was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's second marriage.

She has had four children Benazir Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Shah Nawaz Bhutto and Sanam Bhutto. Only Sanam is alive and living in London while three others were assassinated.

Besides, being ex-first lady, Ms Bhutto, an Iranian-origin Pakistani, had been a federal minister and chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party after Bhutto’s execution.

She breathed her last on Sunday afternoon at the Iranian hospital in Dubai where she was brought under critical condition on Saturday. She had been under treatment at the hospital for many years.

Her body will be flown to Pakistan and she will be buried at Nodero, hometown of Bhuttos.