Humayun Akhtar Khan
Encyclopedia
Humayun Akhtar Khan is a Pakistani politician. He served as the Federal Minister for Trade and Commerce
from 2002–2007 and as the Federal Minister for Investment from 1997-1999. His father General Akhtar Abdur Rahman
served as Director General of the ISI
in the 1980's and played a crucial role in forcing the Soviets out of Afghanistan
. Humayun Akhtar and his brothers Akbar, Haroon, and Ghazi are amongst the most influential industrialists in the country and collectively own Tandlianwala Sugar Mills, Superior Textile Mills, and the Pepsi
Franchise in Pakistan.
, Humayun first attended Government College University
in Lahore and then went abroad to Canada to graduate from the University of Waterloo
. He then went to the University of Manitoba
where he passed all his Actuarial Exams to become a professional Actuary
. He has been a fellow of the U.S. Society of Actuaries since 1980 and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries
since 1981.
for Morneau Shepell Inc. as an Actuary. Shortly after his father General Akhtar Abdur Rahman
passed away in a plane crash that also killed General Zia-ul-Haq, Humayun along with his brothers decided to return to Pakistan
. After years of professional experience in foreign corporations, the Akhtar Brothers bought the Pepsi Franchise
upon their return to Pakistan. They have taken the franchise from near bankruptcy to being the standout company in the beverage industry. Success in Pepsi was followed by expansion into the sugar and textile industries. Today, Tandlianwala Sugar Mills is one of the largest producers of sugar in Punjab with three separate units in Kanjwani, Muzaffargarh
, and Dera Ismail Khan
and a crushing capacity of 25,000 TCD.
which was part of a greater electoral alliance consisting of Conservative parties called Islami Jamhoori Ittehad
. In the 1990 General Elections, he contested from NA-92 in Lahore
and with the support of voters who remembered his father as a hero for his role in the Afghan Jihad, he comfortably won his first election. For three years he served as a member of the national assembly but when Nawaz Sharif resigned along with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan
in 1993, assemblies were dissolved new elections were scheduled.
In October 1993 General elections took place once again in Pakistan. Humayun was once again given a PML-N ticket from Lahore but this time, it was from NA-93 against PPP
stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan
. It was a constituency that had always been a Peoples Party stronghold as its pioneer Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
had won from there and this was Humayun’s toughest test to date. However, despite the fact that PPP won the election and Aitzaz Ahsan
was one of its central leaders, Humayun pulled off an impressive victory in what was a close contest. His brother Haroon Akhtar Khan also contested that same year and defeated Qasim Zia
for a seat in the Punjab Assembly. In 1996, President Farooq Leghari
dissolved Benazir Bhutto
's government on charges of corruption.
In 1997, new elections were called for yet again after the ouster of Benazir Bhutto's government. However, this time Humayun was denied a ticket from Lahore despite having defeated Aitzaz Ahsan in an election in which the PPP came to power. Nawaz Sharif and Humayun Akhtar had developed personal differences over the years over certain policies which is why the PML-N chief decided to move Humayun from Lahore to the Rahimyar Khan
district of Southern Punjab. Nevertheless, Humayun managed to win the election and was then made the Federal Minister for Investment in a cabinet led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
. In addition, he was also appointed Chairman Pakistan Board of Investment
. After the military coup in 1999 in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf
, Humayun Akhtar along with many other members of the PML (N) were placed on house arrest for a few months. In addition, they were also placed on the Exit Control List
which barred their exit from Pakistan and the NAB
launched investigations regarding the assets of all the ministers of the previous regime.
who by then had also become the President of Pakistan
promised that there would be elections in October. Because Nawaz Sharif
had been exiled to Saudi Arabia
, many of his most prominent party leaders including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
, Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
, Mian Azhar and Humayun Akhtar Khan formed a new party called Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid-e-Azam
. Humayun contested from constituency NA-125 which was in fact part of what was once called NA-93, the constituency he won from in 1993. This time his main opponents were Akram Zaki
of PML (N)
and Naveed Chaudhry of PPP
. Although many analysts and observers believed that it would be a one sided affair in favor of Humayun who was a household name in this constituency, it turned out to be a very tough election which Humayun won by an extremely narrow margin. The runner-up Akram Zaki
claimed victory and stated that the result had been rigged in favor of Humayun. Zaki took the result to the Lahore High Court
and Supreme Court of Pakistan
and it was concluded that Humayun had won fair and square. He was then sworn in as the Commerce Minister
in a cabinet led by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali
.
In 2002 when PML (Q)
was forming its government, Humayun Akhtar was one of the candidates considered for the post of Prime Minister
. However, President Musharraf and the PML-Q
decided against chosing a PM from Punjab
and instead gave the honor to Zafarullah Khan Jamali
of Balochistan
. By early 2004, it was clear that Jamali had fallen out of favor with President Musharraf
and his own party members. Jamali did not support Musharraf’s decision to keep on his uniform amongst other things while Musharraf was fed up of Jamali's incompetence and poor governance. When Jamali ran for secretary general of PML-Q, his nomination was blocked and that led to differences between Jamali and party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
. By May 2004, the party decided to sack Jamali and in his place a number of potential candidates were listed. After many high level meetings between the President and his close political and military aides, it was decided that Humayun was the best choice to become the nations premier. However, his own partymen the Chaudhrys of Gujraat proved to be the last hurdle in Humayun's nomination and they fought tooth and nail to ensure that he does not become the nations Premier. Party President Chaudhry Shujaat went to the extent of asking Musharraf to delay the announcement of the new Prime Minister by three weeks till the budget session concludes. Many political analysts believe that the main reason behind the delay was to postpone Humayun’s candidacy as the Chaudhry's felt that he had intentions of hijacking the party from them and as a result threatening Pervaiz Elahi's own political ambitions of becoming Prime Minister after the next election. Eventually Musharraf adhered to the pressure and the only other viable option for Musharraf was Shaukat Aziz
who had not even come to power through a direct election. Eventually, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
was made interim Prime Minister for two months and it was decided that Shaukat Aziz
would contest an election for the national assembly via by-election. Shortly after contesting and winning the by-election, Aziz replaced Shujaat as Prime Minister.
After the new Prime Minister was chosen and Humayun was denied his moment of glory, he resumed his duty as the Commerce Minister. During his tenure, he undertook policies which would turn Pakistan into a dynamic world economy. He actively participated in the World Trade Organization negotiations, where he was selected as a facilitator for the Hong Kong ministerial conference held in December 2005. He also introduced reforms in the insurance sector and enacted copyright laws in 2007. Recently he helped establish the Lahore Agenda for Farmer's rights to global markets in the 31st meeting of Cairns Group. During his five year tenure as the Commerce Minister, Pakistan's exports increased from $8 billion to $20 billion. Never before has the nation witnessed such unprecedented growth in the economic sector. In November 2007, he successfully completed his term as the Federal Minister for Trade and Commerce.
After the PML-Q completed its five year term in power, general elections were announced. After the Lal Masjid incident and the sacking of all the supreme court judges via the PCO, President Musharraf was under intense pressure to shed his uniform and contest his third term as President as a civilian rather than a dictator. After winning his election, Musharraf shed his uniform and allowed opposition leaders Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan and contest the upcoming elections. Despite all this, many pundits still believed that the PML (Q) had a chance to be in power once again due to all the development projects that took place during the PML (Q) government. However, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto
the tables turned as her husband Asif Ali Zardari
defamed the Q-League by blaming its leadership for conspiring to kill his wife. On the election day, all Musharraf's main allies including Humayun Akhtar, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
, and Ijaz-ul-Haq suffered heavy defeats from constituencies they had been getting elected from for decades. Tellingly, 23 out of 27 members of the federal cabinet lost their seats as the Pakistan Peoples Party came to power while Nawaz Sharif's party took Punjab. Because of Zardari's allegations and Musharraf's unpopularity, the PML (Q) suffered a heavy defeat in the 2008 election despite all the economic growth that took place during Musharraf's eight years in power. Only month's after this election President Musharraf was forced to resign by the PPP and the PML (N) who threatened to impeach him.
and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
. Many influential members of the party including Humayun Akhtar opposed these measures and tried to resolve their issues with the Chaudhry brothers via dialogue but the Chaudhry's refused to loosen their grip on the party. This disillusioned many in the party who were opposed to the idea of family politics especially when association with the Chaudhry's was more of a liability than an asset for PML-Q candidates in the previous election. When the time came for inter party elections, a like-minded group in the party led by Humayun Akhtar, Hamid Nasir Chattha
, and Salim Saifullah Khan boycotted the elections as certain members of the PML-Q's election commission of 2006 was changed. Eventually, Shujaat was re-elected as President of PML-Q, while Mushahid Hussain
was re-elected Secretary General in an election that was boycotted by many of the parties most influential leaders. Consequently, the PML-Q split and the like-minded faction had its own elections in which it declared Salim Saifullah as its President and Humayun Akhtar as its Secretary General. Several Muslim League stalwarts including Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
, Hamid Nasir Chattha
, and Gohar Ayub Khan
joined the breakaway faction while others including Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
and Ijaz-ul-Haq formed their own separate factions of Muslim League. This great division in the PML-Q left the former ruling party in disarray. In May 2011, the faction of PML-Q led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain decided to join the Pakistan Peoples Party
Government while the 'Likeminded' group continued to sit in the opposition in both the National Assembly and the Senate. Likewise, in the Punjab Assembly, the Unification Bloc joined PML-N in the government while the rest of PML-Q sat on the opposition benches. This was the first time in Pakistan's history that certain members of one parliamentary party sat on the opposition benches while others sat on the treasury benches. Although PML-Q boasts more members in the National Assembly, the Likeminded group has more members in the Senate and in the Punjab Assembly. It is widely perceived that PML-Q's decided to support the federal government in order to save Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi's
son Moonis Elahi
from prosecution in the NICL corruption scandal. The Chaudhry's decision to join the government in order to get Moonis Elahi out of jail vindicates the stand against family politics that was taken by members of the Likeminded group in 2009. As of August 2011, the Likeminded group has formed an alliance with PML (N) in addition to inviting other factions of Muslim League to join them in order to defeat the alliance of Peoples Party and the Q-League in the next general elections.
Commerce Minister of Pakistan
The Commerce Minister of Pakistan heads the Ministry of Commerce. He serves in the cabinet of the Prime Minister. The Minister is required to be a member of Parliament...
from 2002–2007 and as the Federal Minister for Investment from 1997-1999. His father General Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Akhtar Abdur Rahman
General Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan , born in Rampur, was a 4-star general in the Pakistan Army. He served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1987–1988 and as Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence from 1980-1987...
served as Director General of the ISI
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
in the 1980's and played a crucial role in forcing the Soviets out of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Humayun Akhtar and his brothers Akbar, Haroon, and Ghazi are amongst the most influential industrialists in the country and collectively own Tandlianwala Sugar Mills, Superior Textile Mills, and the Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
Franchise in Pakistan.
Education
After completing his secondary education at Burnhall School in AbbottabadAbbottabad
Abbottabad is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, northeast of the capital Islamabad and east of Peshawar at an altitude of and is the capital of the Abbottabad District...
, Humayun first attended Government College University
Government College University
Government College University, Lahore is a co-educational public university located on The Mall in Lahore, Pakistan...
in Lahore and then went abroad to Canada to graduate from the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
. He then went to the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
where he passed all his Actuarial Exams to become a professional Actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
. He has been a fellow of the U.S. Society of Actuaries since 1980 and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries
Canadian Institute of Actuaries
The Canadian Institute of Actuaries is the national organization of the actuarial profession in Canada. It was incorporated on March 18, 1965. The FCIA designation stands for Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries...
since 1981.
Business career
From 1981-1987 Humayun Akhtar worked in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
for Morneau Shepell Inc. as an Actuary. Shortly after his father General Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Akhtar Abdur Rahman
General Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan , born in Rampur, was a 4-star general in the Pakistan Army. He served as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1987–1988 and as Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence from 1980-1987...
passed away in a plane crash that also killed General Zia-ul-Haq, Humayun along with his brothers decided to return to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. After years of professional experience in foreign corporations, the Akhtar Brothers bought the Pepsi Franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
upon their return to Pakistan. They have taken the franchise from near bankruptcy to being the standout company in the beverage industry. Success in Pepsi was followed by expansion into the sugar and textile industries. Today, Tandlianwala Sugar Mills is one of the largest producers of sugar in Punjab with three separate units in Kanjwani, Muzaffargarh
Muzaffargarh
Muzaffargarh is a city in southwestern Punjab, Pakistan, located on the bank of the Chenab River. The Town of Muzaffargarh was founded in 1794 by the Governor of Mulran Nawab Muzaffar Khan.The Meaning of Muzaffargarh is "Fort of Muzaffar" because the old town lies inside the walls of a fort built...
, and Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
and a crushing capacity of 25,000 TCD.
Early years
In 1990, Humayun Akhtar joined Pakistan Muslim League NawazPakistan Muslim League (N)
The Pakistan Muslim League is a conservative political party in Pakistan, affiliated with Western conservatism...
which was part of a greater electoral alliance consisting of Conservative parties called Islami Jamhoori Ittehad
Islami Jamhoori Ittehad
Islami Jamhoori Ittehad or Islamic Democratic Alliance was formed in September 1988 to oppose the Pakistan Peoples Party in elections that year...
. In the 1990 General Elections, he contested from NA-92 in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and with the support of voters who remembered his father as a hero for his role in the Afghan Jihad, he comfortably won his first election. For three years he served as a member of the national assembly but when Nawaz Sharif resigned along with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Ghulam Ishaq Khan , abbreviated as GIK, was the seventh President of Pakistan from August 17, 1988 until July 18, 1993 and a career statesman from the start to the end of cold war...
in 1993, assemblies were dissolved new elections were scheduled.
In October 1993 General elections took place once again in Pakistan. Humayun was once again given a PML-N ticket from Lahore but this time, it was from NA-93 against PPP
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan
Aitzaz Ahsan
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan is a Pakistani lawmaker, barrister, and politician from Pakistan's People's Party who served as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.-Early life and education:...
. It was a constituency that had always been a Peoples Party stronghold as its pioneer Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
had won from there and this was Humayun’s toughest test to date. However, despite the fact that PPP won the election and Aitzaz Ahsan
Aitzaz Ahsan
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan is a Pakistani lawmaker, barrister, and politician from Pakistan's People's Party who served as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.-Early life and education:...
was one of its central leaders, Humayun pulled off an impressive victory in what was a close contest. His brother Haroon Akhtar Khan also contested that same year and defeated Qasim Zia
Qasim Zia
Qasim Zia is an Olympian who represented Pakistan in Field Hockey at the 1984 Summer Olympics at Los Angeles and 1986 Hockey World Cup. Qasim Zia was a fullback. He played 87 International matches, in which he scored 15 goals...
for a seat in the Punjab Assembly. In 1996, President Farooq Leghari
Farooq Leghari
Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was the eighth President of Pakistan from November 14, 1993 until December 2, 1997...
dissolved Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
's government on charges of corruption.
In 1997, new elections were called for yet again after the ouster of Benazir Bhutto's government. However, this time Humayun was denied a ticket from Lahore despite having defeated Aitzaz Ahsan in an election in which the PPP came to power. Nawaz Sharif and Humayun Akhtar had developed personal differences over the years over certain policies which is why the PML-N chief decided to move Humayun from Lahore to the Rahimyar Khan
Rahimyar Khan
Rahim Yar Khan is a city in South Punjab, Pakistan. Rahim Yar Khan is the capital city of Rahim Yar Khan District as well as the tehsil of the same name. The city itself is administratively subdivided into 9 Union councils. According to the 1998 census, the city population was 233,537 with an...
district of Southern Punjab. Nevertheless, Humayun managed to win the election and was then made the Federal Minister for Investment in a cabinet led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
. In addition, he was also appointed Chairman Pakistan Board of Investment
Pakistan Board of Investment
Board of Investment is the investment promotion agency of Pakistan. The Board of Investment assists companies planning to invest in Pakistan or to expand their Pakistani operations. The Board of Investment is a member of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies .- History :The...
. After the military coup in 1999 in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
, Humayun Akhtar along with many other members of the PML (N) were placed on house arrest for a few months. In addition, they were also placed on the Exit Control List
Exit Control List
The Exit Control List is maintained by the government of Pakistan under the Exit from Pakistan Ordinance. Those persons on the list are prohibited from leaving Pakistan....
which barred their exit from Pakistan and the NAB
National Accountability Bureau
The National Accountability Bureau is a federal executive agency of the Government of Pakistan, responsible and mandated for dealing with anti-corruption scandals, and also tasked with the gathering and managing the economic intelligence, and making efforts against the economic terrorism...
launched investigations regarding the assets of all the ministers of the previous regime.
Tenure as Commerce Minister
In 2002, General Pervez MusharrafPervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
who by then had also become the President of Pakistan
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
promised that there would be elections in October. Because Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
had been exiled to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, many of his most prominent party leaders including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is a politician from Pakistan who was the Prime Minister of that country from June 30, 2004 until August 28 2004...
, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi , is a Pakistani politician. He was the Chief Minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, from 2002 to 2007. He is a senior leader and Provincial President of Pakistan Muslim League, Punjab....
, Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
Ch Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq is a prominent Pakistani politician and a businessman who served as a Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities under the Government of Prime minister Shaukat Aziz. A former Pakistan Army officer, Haq joined the Pakistan Army in 1971, as second lieutnenat, but...
, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri is a Pakistani politician and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007.- Family background :Khurshid M. Kasuri belongs to one of the old political families of Pakistan...
, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is a Pakistani politician and writer. He served as the Federal Minister for Railways in Pakistan from 2006 to 2008. His previous portfolio have included appointments as Federal Minister for Labor and Manpower, Information and Broadcasting, Industries, Sports Culture, and...
, Mian Azhar and Humayun Akhtar Khan formed a new party called Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid-e-Azam
Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
The Pakistan Muslim League or officially Pakistan Muslim League is a centrist, modern political party in Pakistan. The present form of PML-Q was formed prior to 2002 general elections....
. Humayun contested from constituency NA-125 which was in fact part of what was once called NA-93, the constituency he won from in 1993. This time his main opponents were Akram Zaki
Akram Zaki
Akram Zaki is a Pakistani politician. He has held the role of senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League and chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs....
of PML (N)
Pakistan Muslim League (N)
The Pakistan Muslim League is a conservative political party in Pakistan, affiliated with Western conservatism...
and Naveed Chaudhry of PPP
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
. Although many analysts and observers believed that it would be a one sided affair in favor of Humayun who was a household name in this constituency, it turned out to be a very tough election which Humayun won by an extremely narrow margin. The runner-up Akram Zaki
Akram Zaki
Akram Zaki is a Pakistani politician. He has held the role of senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League and chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs....
claimed victory and stated that the result had been rigged in favor of Humayun. Zaki took the result to the Lahore High Court
Lahore High Court
The Lahore High Court is based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on March 21, 1919. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over Punjab...
and Supreme Court of Pakistan
Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court is the apex court in Pakistan's judicial hierarchy, the final arbiter of legal and constitutional disputes. The Supreme Court has a permanent seat in Islamabad. It has number of Branch Registries where cases are heard. It has a number of de jure powers which are outlined in the...
and it was concluded that Humayun had won fair and square. He was then sworn in as the Commerce Minister
Commerce Minister of Pakistan
The Commerce Minister of Pakistan heads the Ministry of Commerce. He serves in the cabinet of the Prime Minister. The Minister is required to be a member of Parliament...
in a cabinet led by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali
Zafarullah Khan Jamali
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was the 13th Prime Minister of Pakistan and former Chairman of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.-Early life:Born in Baluchistan, Jamali was the second Baluch Prime Minister of Pakistan...
.
In 2002 when PML (Q)
Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
The Pakistan Muslim League or officially Pakistan Muslim League is a centrist, modern political party in Pakistan. The present form of PML-Q was formed prior to 2002 general elections....
was forming its government, Humayun Akhtar was one of the candidates considered for the post of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
. However, President Musharraf and the PML-Q
Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
The Pakistan Muslim League or officially Pakistan Muslim League is a centrist, modern political party in Pakistan. The present form of PML-Q was formed prior to 2002 general elections....
decided against chosing a PM from Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and instead gave the honor to Zafarullah Khan Jamali
Zafarullah Khan Jamali
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was the 13th Prime Minister of Pakistan and former Chairman of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.-Early life:Born in Baluchistan, Jamali was the second Baluch Prime Minister of Pakistan...
of Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
. By early 2004, it was clear that Jamali had fallen out of favor with President Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
and his own party members. Jamali did not support Musharraf’s decision to keep on his uniform amongst other things while Musharraf was fed up of Jamali's incompetence and poor governance. When Jamali ran for secretary general of PML-Q, his nomination was blocked and that led to differences between Jamali and party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is a politician from Pakistan who was the Prime Minister of that country from June 30, 2004 until August 28 2004...
. By May 2004, the party decided to sack Jamali and in his place a number of potential candidates were listed. After many high level meetings between the President and his close political and military aides, it was decided that Humayun was the best choice to become the nations premier. However, his own partymen the Chaudhrys of Gujraat proved to be the last hurdle in Humayun's nomination and they fought tooth and nail to ensure that he does not become the nations Premier. Party President Chaudhry Shujaat went to the extent of asking Musharraf to delay the announcement of the new Prime Minister by three weeks till the budget session concludes. Many political analysts believe that the main reason behind the delay was to postpone Humayun’s candidacy as the Chaudhry's felt that he had intentions of hijacking the party from them and as a result threatening Pervaiz Elahi's own political ambitions of becoming Prime Minister after the next election. Eventually Musharraf adhered to the pressure and the only other viable option for Musharraf was Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz is a world acclaimed Pakistani economist who was the 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan from May 20, 2004 to 15 November 2007 in a joint military government led by General Pervez Musharraf. A Citibank executive, Aziz returned to Pakistan from the United States to be became Finance...
who had not even come to power through a direct election. Eventually, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is a politician from Pakistan who was the Prime Minister of that country from June 30, 2004 until August 28 2004...
was made interim Prime Minister for two months and it was decided that Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz is a world acclaimed Pakistani economist who was the 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan from May 20, 2004 to 15 November 2007 in a joint military government led by General Pervez Musharraf. A Citibank executive, Aziz returned to Pakistan from the United States to be became Finance...
would contest an election for the national assembly via by-election. Shortly after contesting and winning the by-election, Aziz replaced Shujaat as Prime Minister.
After the new Prime Minister was chosen and Humayun was denied his moment of glory, he resumed his duty as the Commerce Minister. During his tenure, he undertook policies which would turn Pakistan into a dynamic world economy. He actively participated in the World Trade Organization negotiations, where he was selected as a facilitator for the Hong Kong ministerial conference held in December 2005. He also introduced reforms in the insurance sector and enacted copyright laws in 2007. Recently he helped establish the Lahore Agenda for Farmer's rights to global markets in the 31st meeting of Cairns Group. During his five year tenure as the Commerce Minister, Pakistan's exports increased from $8 billion to $20 billion. Never before has the nation witnessed such unprecedented growth in the economic sector. In November 2007, he successfully completed his term as the Federal Minister for Trade and Commerce.
After the PML-Q completed its five year term in power, general elections were announced. After the Lal Masjid incident and the sacking of all the supreme court judges via the PCO, President Musharraf was under intense pressure to shed his uniform and contest his third term as President as a civilian rather than a dictator. After winning his election, Musharraf shed his uniform and allowed opposition leaders Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan and contest the upcoming elections. Despite all this, many pundits still believed that the PML (Q) had a chance to be in power once again due to all the development projects that took place during the PML (Q) government. However, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto
Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred on 27 December 2007 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan and then-leader of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, had been campaigning ahead of elections due in January 2008...
the tables turned as her husband Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
defamed the Q-League by blaming its leadership for conspiring to kill his wife. On the election day, all Musharraf's main allies including Humayun Akhtar, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is a politician from Pakistan who was the Prime Minister of that country from June 30, 2004 until August 28 2004...
, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is a Pakistani politician and writer. He served as the Federal Minister for Railways in Pakistan from 2006 to 2008. His previous portfolio have included appointments as Federal Minister for Labor and Manpower, Information and Broadcasting, Industries, Sports Culture, and...
, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri is a Pakistani politician and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007.- Family background :Khurshid M. Kasuri belongs to one of the old political families of Pakistan...
, and Ijaz-ul-Haq suffered heavy defeats from constituencies they had been getting elected from for decades. Tellingly, 23 out of 27 members of the federal cabinet lost their seats as the Pakistan Peoples Party came to power while Nawaz Sharif's party took Punjab. Because of Zardari's allegations and Musharraf's unpopularity, the PML (Q) suffered a heavy defeat in the 2008 election despite all the economic growth that took place during Musharraf's eight years in power. Only month's after this election President Musharraf was forced to resign by the PPP and the PML (N) who threatened to impeach him.
Formation of Likeminded Faction
While the PML-Q sat in opposition, it became increasingly subdued and party decisions were being made solely by Chaudhry Shujaat HussainChaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is a politician from Pakistan who was the Prime Minister of that country from June 30, 2004 until August 28 2004...
and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi , is a Pakistani politician. He was the Chief Minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, from 2002 to 2007. He is a senior leader and Provincial President of Pakistan Muslim League, Punjab....
. Many influential members of the party including Humayun Akhtar opposed these measures and tried to resolve their issues with the Chaudhry brothers via dialogue but the Chaudhry's refused to loosen their grip on the party. This disillusioned many in the party who were opposed to the idea of family politics especially when association with the Chaudhry's was more of a liability than an asset for PML-Q candidates in the previous election. When the time came for inter party elections, a like-minded group in the party led by Humayun Akhtar, Hamid Nasir Chattha
Hamid Nasir Chattha
Chaudhry Hamid Nasir Chattha is a politician from Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan. He was born on November 15, 1944 at Lahore. Hamid Nasir Chattha is currently a Member of Punjab Assembly, Pakistan after losing in 2008 National Assembly elections. He was previously elected as an MNA in 1985, 1990,...
, and Salim Saifullah Khan boycotted the elections as certain members of the PML-Q's election commission of 2006 was changed. Eventually, Shujaat was re-elected as President of PML-Q, while Mushahid Hussain
Mushahid Hussain
Mushahid Hussain Sayed , is a Pakistani Political journalist and conservative politician who is the current Secretary General of the center-right and moderate conservative Pakistan Muslim League .-Education:...
was re-elected Secretary General in an election that was boycotted by many of the parties most influential leaders. Consequently, the PML-Q split and the like-minded faction had its own elections in which it declared Salim Saifullah as its President and Humayun Akhtar as its Secretary General. Several Muslim League stalwarts including Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri
Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri is a Pakistani politician and diplomat. He was the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007.- Family background :Khurshid M. Kasuri belongs to one of the old political families of Pakistan...
, Hamid Nasir Chattha
Hamid Nasir Chattha
Chaudhry Hamid Nasir Chattha is a politician from Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan. He was born on November 15, 1944 at Lahore. Hamid Nasir Chattha is currently a Member of Punjab Assembly, Pakistan after losing in 2008 National Assembly elections. He was previously elected as an MNA in 1985, 1990,...
, and Gohar Ayub Khan
Gohar Ayub Khan
Gohar Ayub Khan is a Pakistani politician and a son of the late Pakistani dictator, President General Ayub Khan. A Tareen/Tarin Afghan/Pathan, he was born in village Rehana, Haripur, Hazara region. Khan studied at Army Burn Hall College, Abbottabad, and Saint Mary's Academy, Rawalpindi,...
joined the breakaway faction while others including Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is a Pakistani politician and writer. He served as the Federal Minister for Railways in Pakistan from 2006 to 2008. His previous portfolio have included appointments as Federal Minister for Labor and Manpower, Information and Broadcasting, Industries, Sports Culture, and...
and Ijaz-ul-Haq formed their own separate factions of Muslim League. This great division in the PML-Q left the former ruling party in disarray. In May 2011, the faction of PML-Q led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain decided to join the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
Government while the 'Likeminded' group continued to sit in the opposition in both the National Assembly and the Senate. Likewise, in the Punjab Assembly, the Unification Bloc joined PML-N in the government while the rest of PML-Q sat on the opposition benches. This was the first time in Pakistan's history that certain members of one parliamentary party sat on the opposition benches while others sat on the treasury benches. Although PML-Q boasts more members in the National Assembly, the Likeminded group has more members in the Senate and in the Punjab Assembly. It is widely perceived that PML-Q's decided to support the federal government in order to save Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi's
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi , is a Pakistani politician. He was the Chief Minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, from 2002 to 2007. He is a senior leader and Provincial President of Pakistan Muslim League, Punjab....
son Moonis Elahi
Moonis Elahi
Moonis Elahi is a Pakistani politician. He is the elder son of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, former Chief Minister of Punjab , nephew of Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and grandson of Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi . Moonis Elahi was born on 12 April 1976 at Lahore...
from prosecution in the NICL corruption scandal. The Chaudhry's decision to join the government in order to get Moonis Elahi out of jail vindicates the stand against family politics that was taken by members of the Likeminded group in 2009. As of August 2011, the Likeminded group has formed an alliance with PML (N) in addition to inviting other factions of Muslim League to join them in order to defeat the alliance of Peoples Party and the Q-League in the next general elections.