Azam Khan Swati

Senator
Azam Khan Swati
(Urdu: اعظم خان سواتی‎)
President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf KP
In office
4 December 2013 – 23 May 2015
Appointed by Imran Khan
President Javed Hashmi
Vice President Ejaz Chaudhary
Hamid Khan
Asad Umar
Preceded by Asad Qaiser
Constituency Constituency NA-20
Federal Minister for Science and Technology
In office
2008 – 17 December 2011
President Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani
Succeeded by Ishfaq Ahmad
Pakistani Senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Assumed office
2015
In office
2003–2011
Personal details
Born (1956-06-22) 22 June 1956
Political party

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (2002–2011)

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (2011–present)
Alma mater University of Houston
Profession Politician
Religion Islam

Azam Khan Swati (Pashto: اعظم خان سواتی‎) (born 22 June 1956) is a Pakistani politician and a millionaire businessman who served as the Federal Minister for Science and Technology[1] and member of Senate of Pakistan from 2006 to 2011. He is the elected Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Movement of Justice.[2] Swati, during his stay in the United States, owned a chain of stores, was a member of Pakistani American Congress, played important role in high-profile charity events. He was born in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. He joined the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl party. Azam Khan Swati resigned from the Senate and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), on Saturday 17 December 2011, joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).[3] Swati had pursued the Hajj corruption case in the Supreme Court relentlessly, which ultimately forced the government to sack former religious affairs minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi.[4][5]

Early Life and Business

He was born and raised to a very humble family in a small village in the Mansehra area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan formerly known (North West Frontier Province) of Pakistan. Initially, he started his career as a practicing lawyer in Karachi but then left for the USA in 1978. In 1997 he established Pak-Oil Company and acquired a jobber-ship for Exxon, Chevron, Mobil,Shell and Diamond Shamrock. Besides fuel distribution and wholesale business he has handsome investments in real estate in the Beaumont-Golden Triangle area as well as in the bordering state of Louisiana.

During his stay in United States, he keenly studied the American institutions and functioning of their democratic system. He felt the urge to help his country of origin by transferring the experience he had acquired in his adopted homeland America. He took along a burning desire to see American values of liberty, justice, the right to pursue happiness, civil liberties, rule of law, and due process transplanted in Pakistan. Thereafter he moved back to his home country of Pakistan 2001 and was elected as Mayor of District Mansehra.[6]

Education

He has a degree of M.A. Economics & Political Science , LL.B (Gold Medalist), LL.M of International Law from University of Houston. Dr. of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law in 1990 and then passed Texas Bar and became Attorney-at-Law in Texas, USA.[7]

Politics

Mr. Swati moved back to his home country of Pakistan in 2001 and got elected as a Mayor of District Mansehra. In 2003 after President Musharaf announced the Referendum, Mr. Swati voluntarily resigned from Mayorship and thereafter when the Senate election was announced, he was elected Senator with the highest number of votes as an Independent candidate. After getting elected he joined JUI-F. He took on to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl party. Mr. Swati was again elected for a second term in the Senate on the JUI ticket. Azam Khan Swati resigned from the Senate and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), on Saturday 17 December 2011, joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). After joining PTI he was elected Senior Vice President of PTI and lead the party historical Dharna by playing a pivotal role in making it successful. Due to his political contribution, Mr. Swati was nominated President of PTI for the pro vince of KPK. In May 2015 he was awarded the PTI ticket for Senate and was for the 3rd time elected as Senator. Mr. Swati's biggest contribution was the establishment of Hazara University in his home District Mansehra along with standing against corruption on every level and through every forum in Pakistan. In fact, Mr. Swati is known to have made unprecedented sacrifices towards ending corruption in Pakistan. He was also the member of Standing Committee on Commerce, Functional Committee on Government Assurance, Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas, Standing Committee on Health, Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Committee on Information Technology, Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Standing Committee on Federal Education, Standing Committee on Food Security, Standing Committee on Legislation and Library Committee.[8]

Assets

He is ostensibly one of the richest parliamentarians in the history of Pakistan in terms of wealth formally declared and taxed of $20.5m, with fellow PTI member Jahangir Tareen also having a high official declared wealth, though the undeclared wealth of other politicians is considered to be higher including that of billionaire industrial magnate and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with an estimated fortune of $1.3 billion and industrial families such as that of Khawaja Asif. Swati's declared assets are:[9]

References

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