Wattoo was born in 1929, in Jamal Kot village of Depalpur Tehsil of Okara District.[1]
He joined politics in 1956. In 1961, he was elected to the West Pakistan Assembly. He also served as the Provincial Minister for Education, and Law Minister of Punjab.[1]
In 1971, he was elected the first vice-chairman of the Punjab Bar Council.[1]
In 1977, he became the Federal Minister for Education in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's cabinet.[1]
In the 1985 election, he was again elected and became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and served as Federal Minister for Finance and Education.[1] In 1990, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and served as the Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources.[1]
In 1997, he was again elected and became a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and served as the Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.[1]
