Nisar Ali Khan

Nisar Ali Khan
Minister of the Interior
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 June 2013
Preceded by	Malik Habib (Acting)
Leader of the Opposition
In office 17 September 2008 – 7 June 2013
Preceded by	Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Succeeded by	Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah
Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources
Personal details
Born	31 July 1954 Chakri Vakilan, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Citizenship	Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistan
Political party	Pakistan Muslim League (Before 1985) Pakistan Muslim League- Functional (1985–1988) Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	Islamic Democratic Alliance (1988–1990)

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (born 31 July 1954) is a Pakistani conservative veteran politician and parliamentarian who serves as the Interior Minister of Pakistan, and has previously served as 8th Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly between 17 September 2008 till 7 June 2013.^[1][2] Khan is one of the leading and most senior members of Pakistan Muslim League and a close aide to Nawaz Sharif.^[3]

Khan has been elected to the national assembly on eight occasions (1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008, 2013). During this he has served in the as Federal Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources in non-consecutive terms from 1990–93 and 1997–99. Khan also assumed office as the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock on March 2008 in the administration of Yousaf Raza Gillani, however, his tenure was short-lived due to Muslim League's decision to leave the Pakistan Peoples Party led collation government.^[2][4]

Early life and education

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was born on 31 July 1954 in Rawal tribe of Gujjars in Chakri.^[3] He is the youngest of his five brothers and sisters.^[5] Khan is an alumnus of Aitchison College and Army Burn Hall College. He is also known as the Rawal of Rawalpindi

Political career

He took an oath for the National Assembly seat on 24 March 2008.^[6] From 31 March 2008 to 12 May 2008, Khan was a senior minister and held the portfolios of Ministry of Communication and Ministry of Food and Livestock (MINFAL).^[7] However, all the PML-N ministers resigned en route on 12 May 2008 protesting the delay in restoration of judges by the PPP-led government.

Ch.Nisar Ali Khan has previously served as Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, and Provincial Coordinator during 1990 – 1993 government of PML(N). From 1997 – 1999 government of PML(N), he was again Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister. Nisar has been elected an MNA eight times (in 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2008) –from NA-52 (Rawalpindi-III) in 2002 and 2013 and from NA-53 (Rawalpindi – IV) in 2008. He was elected the Leader of the Opposition after Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi resigned from that post.^[8] He secured NA-52 seat in Rawalpindi leaving behind his competitors Lt. Col (R) Ajmal Sabir Raja of PTI and PML-Q's Muhammad Basharat Raja.^[9] He is one of the three politicians who have never lost their home town seats since 1985, the second being fellow conservative politician of the PML, Anwar Ali Cheema who lost from Sargodha Na-67 in 2013.

He participated in 2002 elections as a non-partisan and joined the opposition parties in the Parliament. After successfully contesting in the 2008 parliamentary elections, Khan was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and assumed the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on 19 October 2011^[10] but resigned on 28 November 2011.^[11] In general election 2013 Nisar won from Constituency NA-52 as well as from PP-6 (as an independent candidate). However, he lost from Constituency NA-53 and PP-7 constituencies against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidates. Chaudhry Nisar was later appointed as the Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control^[12] in the cabinet of Nawaz Sharif.

Controversy

Ch. Nisar Ali Khan is noted for his vocal anti-American railing in the National Assembly.

References

1. Khan, Zia (18 May 2012). "Maulana Fazl advises PML-N to remove Chaudhry Nisar as opposition leader". The Tribune Express. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
2. NA, National Assembly. "Chaurdhry Nisar Ali Khan". National Assembly Secretariat. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
3. "Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan". Dawn. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
4. GoPk, Government of Pakistan (9 June 1988). "Cabinet of Pakistan, 1988" (PDF). Electronic Government of Pakistan, 1988. Electronic Government of Pakistan, 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
5. "Ch Nisar Ali Khan". Business Recorder. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
6. 24-strong cabinet takes oath
7. Ministries and Committees
8. "Nisar new Opposition Leader in NA" The News, 18 September 2008
10. Zaman, Qamar (19 October 2011). "Rare feat: Nisar becomes first PAC chief to present annual reports". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
11. Press Release (28 November 2011). "Stepping up the pressure: Chaudhry Nisar quits parliamentary watchdog". Tribune Express. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
12. http://pmo.gov.pk/ministers.php