Bahrain’s Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa passes away at age 84

News Desk

One of the world’s longest-serving Prime Ministers, Bahrain’s Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has passed away on Wednesday at the age 84.

According to media reports, the death news of Bahrain’s Prince was announced by state-run news agency. The news agency said that he had been receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, without elaborating.

Prince Khalifa’s has led his island nation’s government for decades and survived the 2011 Arab Spring protests that demanded his ouster over corruption allegations. His power and wealth could be seen everywhere in this small nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia, home to the United States Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s official portrait hung for decades on walls alongside the country’s ruler. He had his own private island where he met foreign dignitaries, complete with a marina and a park that had peacocks and gazelle roam its grounds.

According to Dawn report, he represented an older style of Gulf leadership, one that granted patronage and favours for support of the Sunni Al Khalifa family. That style would be challenged in the 2011 protests by the island’s Shia majority and others, who demonstrated against him over long-running corruption allegations surrounding his rule.

It is to be mentioned here that he was less powerful and frailer in recent years but his machinations still drew attention in the kingdom as a new generation now jostles for power.