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Sunday, October 03, 2010

The Corrupted Makhdooms of United Shattered Pakistan

Makhdoom (Sindhi: مخدوم), (Urdu: مخدوم ) is a Muslim Sufi title in South Asia and Central Asia.

This title is now used by the descendents of the Sufi masters who are mostly Pirs, politicians and landlords in southern Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan. Hazrat Abbas, respectable maternal uncle of Prophet Muhammad, usually visited Mecca and Medina. Prophet Muhammad received him and always addressed him with the title of Makhdoom. From that time Arab people descended from that family are especially called "Makhdoom" which means one who is served. Quraishis in Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan use this title as sacerdotal dignity.


Makhdoom Nooh RA was great saint of his era, his roots connect with Islam's first Khaleefa Hazrat Abu Bakr RA (first after death of last messenger of God Hazrat Muhammed SAW) He was SUHARWARDI line of worshiping style, (SUHARWARDI actually drives from two urdu words one SEHAR means DAWN second WIRD means recite). the descendents line up to its 18th SUJADAH NASHEEN MAKHDOOM MUHAMMED AMIN FAHIM, present Senior Vice-Chairman of PPP a big political party of Pakistan and a poet who sit on the chair after his father's death HAZRAT MAKHDOOM MUHAMMED ZAMAN TALIB-ul-MOLA a renowned scholar, poet, and leader of his time he died in 1992. Serwar Nooh, was the first to translate Quran Pak (a holy book of Allah) into persian language. its new edition is under printing process in sindh's literal organization Sindhi Adabi Board jamshoro Hyderabad. The crown prince is MAKHDOOM JAMIL ZAMAN, MPA from Hala,and good literate person


Faheem did his matriculation in 1955 and intermediate in 1957 in his native town Hala. In 1958, he got admission in political science department of Sindh University, and completed his bachelors in 1961.[citation needed] He had 5 maridges in differente time and had 7 Sons. All kids are involve in different post of province and federal govt. People say they are also very crupt Land lord. Never ever pay tax.


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Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani (Urdu: مخدوم سیّد یوسف رضا گیلانی) (born 9 June 1952) is the 17th and current Prime Minister of Pakistan and Vice-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He was previously Speaker of the National Assembly (1993-1997) and a Federal Minister (1985-1986, 1989-1990).

He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008.[2] He took the oath of office from President Pervez Musharraf on 25 March 2008.[3] Gilani is the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan from the Saraiki-speaking belt.[4] In 2009 Gillani was ranked as the 38th most powerful person in the world by Forbes following Prime Minister of Japan and Prime Minister of India.[5]
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Family and education
* 2 Political career
* 3 Imprisonment
* 4 Premiership
o 4.1 First public speech as Prime Minister
o 4.2 2008 assassination attempt
o 4.3 Gillani's Role in Chief Justice restoration
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 External links

[edit] Family and education

Gillani was born in Karachi on 9 June 1952 (16th Ramazan). He belongs to an influential political family from Multan. His father was a descendant of Syed Musa Pak, a spiritual figure of the Qadiri Sufism order which traces its origins to Abdul-Qadir Gilani. Yousaf Raza's grandfather comes from Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Gilani did his intermediate from Forman Christian College.He attended Government College and obtained his B.A and M.A. in Journalism from University of the Punjab. Gillani is married and has four sons, one daughter, and one grandson.[6] His eldest son, Syed Makhdoom Abdul Qadir Gillani, started his own political career from Multan, and in 2008 he married the granddaughter of Pir Pagara Shah Mardan Shah II, an influential political and religious leader of Sindh. His three other sons—Ali Qasim Gillani, Ali Musa Gillani and Ali Haider Gillani—are triplets and two of them are studying abroad while Ali Haider Gillani is studying at Lahore School of Economics, Lahore. Ali Musa Gillani is now usually seen with his father, these days. His daughter's name is Fiza Gillani.

He is also famous for his scandalous affair with famous Pakistani Singer Naheed Akhtar in 1990s, with some rumors that he even married for some time after which she left singing.[7][8]
[edit] Political career

Gillani's political journey began during General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law in 1978. He joined the Central Working Committee of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML). He was also a cabinet member in the three-year government of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, and served as Minister of Housing and Works from April 1985 to January 1986 and as Railways Minister from January 1986 to December 1986.

After a short stint with the Muslim League, Gillani joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 1988. In the Benazir Bhutto government of 1988-1990, he was Minister of Tourism from March 1989 to January 1990 and Minister of Housing and Works from January 1990 to August 1990. Later, under another Bhutto government, he became Speaker of the National Assembly in October 1993, serving in that post until February 1997.

He has been elected various times as the Member of National Assembly from Multan. In the 2008 general election, he beat Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) leader Sikandar Hayat Bosan.
[edit] Imprisonment

Yousaf Raza Gillani was arrested on 11th February 2001, under the auspices of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), an anti-corruption agency, set up by the military government in 1999, over charges that he misused his authority while he was Speaker of the National Assembly. Specifically, he was accused of hiring up to 600 people from among his constituents and placing them on the government's payroll.[9] The NAB claimed that Gillani inflicted a loss of Rs 30 million annually on the national exchequer.[10] He was convicted by an anti-corruption court formed by Musharraf and spent nearly six years in prison.[11]

The legal proceedings were perceived by many as politically motivated; his party, the PPP, was in opposition to Musharraf, who had embarked on a campaign to coerce party members to switch sides. Thus his conviction by Musharraf-backed courts and subsequent prison sentence are seen as marks of loyalty within the PPP. His imprisonment was widely condemned by various individuals across the country, including Mushahid Hussain Syed, a senior leader of the PML-Q.[citation needed] He was released on 7 October 2006 from Adiala Jail, after spending more than five years in captivity.[12]
[edit] Premiership
Inaugurating a bank at Muzzafarabad

On 22 March 2008, the PPP nominated Gillani for the post of Prime Minister. PPP completed consultations with coalition partners about the Prime Minister and its allies endorsed the nomination. The formal announcement of the name of Prime Minister was expected to be made that night.

On 22 March at 9:38 pm Islamabad, (1638 GMT), he was officially announced by PPP as its candidate for the premiership of the country.

Many analysts said that they would not be surprised if Zardari succeeded Gillani after a few months. It was reported on 24 March 2008, that Zardari said he was not interested in the job of Prime Minister and that Gillani would serve until 2013 in the position. Speculation that Zardari might be gunning for the premiership grew stronger when he picked the less popular Gillani over Ameen Faheem, President of the PPP. Fahmida Mirza, the newly-elected Speaker of the Assembly, insists there is no plan to replace Gillani. She added, however, that if Gillani did not do a good job, all options were open.[13]

On 24 March 2008, Gillani was elected as Prime Minister by Parliament, defeating his rival, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of the PML-Q, by a score of 264 to 42.[14] He was sworn in by Musharraf on the next day.[3] On 29 March, he won a unanimous vote of confidence in Parliament.[15]
Gillani with Hillary Rodham Clinton

On the same day, following the vote of confidence, Gillani announced the programme for the first 100 days of his administration. Some of the points he announced were:

* Frontier Crimes Regulations and Industrial Relations Order repealed

* A “truth and reconciliation commission” proposed

* PM House budget cut by 40 percent

* Special counters at airports for parliamentarians to be removed

* No money to be spent on the renovation of government buildings and residences

* A freedom of information law to be framed, while PEMRA will be made a subsidiary of the information ministry

* Talks will be initiated with extremists who lay down arms and ‘adopt the path of peace’

* A new package for tribal areas promised

* Employment commission to be set up

* Madressah authority to implement a uniform curriculum

* One million housing units to be built annually for low-income groups

* Irrigation channels to be bricklined.

* A lifting of the bans on elected labor and students' unions.[16]

The first part of Gillani's Cabinet was sworn in on 31 March. Of the 24 ministers sworn in on this occasion, 11 were members of the PPP, nine were members of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), two were members of the Awami National Party, one was from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and one came from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Other appointments were expected to follow.[17]

On 13 May 2008, the PML (N) ministers resigned from Gillani's government due to a disagreement related to the reinstatement of judges whom Musharraf removed from office in 2007. Zardari, hoping to preserve the coalition, told Gillani to reject the resignations.[18]

At the close of 2008, Pakistan's The Financial Daily conducted a public poll on its website; respondants entered the names of their favourite personalities for the year, and Gillani was named among the top 50.[19]

In April 2010 he announced the Pakistan national energy policy to deal with the severe electricity shortage facing Pakistan.[20]
[edit] First public speech as Prime Minister

On 19 July 2008 at 11:06pm (Pakistan Standard Time), Gillani appeared on Pakistan Television (PTV) in his first address to the nation. The main points in his address were focused on the crisis of flour shortage, load-shedding, terrorism and extremism, restoration of judges, economic downslide and, above all, inflation and unemployment in the country.The speech was a disaster as a result of which prime minister looked confused on account of mismanagement by his staff.
[edit] 2008 assassination attempt

Gillani escaped an assassination attempt on 3 September 2008 [21], when unidentified gunmen fired shots at his motorcade near the garrison city of Rawalpindi, officials said. The shooting occurred shortly after Gillani was returning from an official visit to the eastern city of Lahore. His motorcade was going to Islamabad from the high-security Chaklala military airbase in Rawalpindi. A spokesman for the Prime Minister's House said Gillani and members of his staff had escaped unhurt and were safe.He said police had been put on high alert and an investigation launched into the incident. The unidentified assailants fired at Gillani's motorcade on a highway. At least two shots hit the Prime Minister's bulletproof vehicle, TV channels quoted officials as saying. State-run PTV beamed footage of the damage caused by the bullets to the window of the driver's door of the vehicle. Reports said the incident occurred at a spot where former premier and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif's motorcade was fired at on 27 December last year, shortly before Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide bombing in Rawalpindi.

According to Gillani's press secretary, Zahid Bashir, a car carrying Gillani was hit by ten bullets in an attack near Islamabad on 3 September 2008; Bashir said that Gillani was unharmed.[22] The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.[23]
[edit] Gillani's Role in Chief Justice restoration

During the political crisis of March 2009, Prime Minister Gillani is credited with playing a central role in convincing the President Asif Ali Zardari to restore Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. This, according to some analysts, has strengthened his role as Prime Minister.[24]
[edit] See also

* Cabinet of Yousaf Raza Gillani
* Pakistan Peoples Party

[edit] References

1. ^ http://pakistaniat.com/2008/03/24/profile-yousuf-raza-gllani-pakistan/comment-page-1/
2. ^ PPP names choice for Pakistani PM BBC News, 22 March 2008
3. ^ a b "U.S. diplomats court new Pakistani leaders", International Herald Tribune, 25 March 2008.
4. ^ 'PML-Q faces defections in Seraiki belt' The News
5. ^ "The World's Most Powerful People". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/20/power-09_The-Worlds-Most-Powerful-People_Rank_2.html. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
6. ^ 'Would-be premier: a profile' Dawn, 23 March 2008
7. ^ http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_pak-pm-is-an-aishwarya-lata-fan_1157373
8. ^ http://www.defence.pk/forums/members-club/54145-pm-has-triplets.html
9. ^ Jane Perlez. 'Pakistani Party’s Leader Chooses a Prime Minister' The New York Times. 22 March 2008
10. ^ Muhammad Najeeb. 'Top PPP leader held for graft' Tribune India, 12 February 2001
11. ^ 'Gillani convicted to 5-year RI' Dawn Newspaper, 8 June 2002
12. ^ Naveed Siddiqui. 'Release not part of deal: Gillani' The Nation, 7 October 2006
13. ^ Bhutto's Former Bhutto aide expected to be new Pakistan prime minister CNN, 24 March 2008
14. ^ "Pakistan assembly elects new PM", Al Jazeera, 24 March 2008.
15. ^ "Pakistan PM gets vote of confidence", Al Jazeera, 29 March 2008.
16. ^ Gillani wins unanimous trust vote: •Student, trade unions restored •Minimum wage fixed at Rs6,000 •Concurrent List to go •Wheat support price raised •Ministers restricted to 1600cc cars -DAWN - Top Stories; 30 March 2008
17. ^ "24 members cabinet sworn in", onlinenews.com.pk.
18. ^ "Pakistan's Zardari rejects ally's resignations", Reuters (International Herald Tribune), 16 May 2008.
19. ^ The Financial Daily, 1 February 2009
20. ^ "Pakistan's PM announces energy policy to tackle crisis". BBC. April 22, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8637454.stm. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
21. ^ http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=90052&videoChannel=1&refresh=true
22. ^ "Prime minister of Pakistan escapes gunfire, officials say", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 3 September 2008.
23. ^ "Taliban claims responsibility for firing at PM motorcade in Pakistan", Xinhua, 3 September 2008.
24. ^ "Yousuf Raza Gillani gains strength from shift of power in Pakistan", TimesOnline, 20 March 2009.

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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Yousaf Raza Gillani – a profile

By Amjad Warraich

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) nominee for prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, is a seasoned politician with strong background of influential political family and vast experience of local to national level politics. Presently the vice chairman of the PPP, he served as the National Assembly speaker during Benazir Bhutto’s second government from 1993 to 1996 and as a federal minister in Muhammad Khan Junejo’s government from 1985 to 1988.

Like his elders, he has wonderful electoral track record. He made first entry to electoral politics in 1983 by defeating the then federal minister Syed Fakhar Imam in the elections for Multan district council chairman. He won a National Assembly seat in 1988 by defeating Mian Nawaz Sharif, the then PML Punjab president and caretaker chief minister of the province. His uncle and a veteren parliamentarian Makhdum Hamid Raza Gillani became his victim in 1990 elections. His 2008 opponent Sikandar Hayat Bosan was also a former federal minister. The only defeat Gillani received during his 25-year electoral politics was in 1997 when Bosan outclassed him.

Arrested in February 2001 by General Pervez Musharraf government under charges of misuse of authority, he spent almost six years in prison, where he wrote a book and also improved his profile to qualify for premiership, in the absence of any Bhutto or Zardari from the National Assembly.

He did not fight 2002 elections because of being in jail and got his nephew Syed Asad Murtaza Gillani elected to the National Assembly. Asad later joined the PPP-Patriots paving the way for allegations of secret deal against his jailed uncle. An old Formanite, Gillani hails from Multan, the most important city in southern Punjab. He belongs to an influential political family. His is the fourth generation in electoral politics.

Earlier, his great grandfather Syed Sadruddin Shah’s brother Syed Rajan Bux Shah was the first Gillani to be elected to Indian Legislative Council in 1921. He remained its member till his death in 1936. Gillanis joined the All India Muslim League in 1940s. Rajan’s nephew Syed Mohammad Raza Shah defeated Unionist party candidate and PPP’s another contender for premiership Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s grandfather Makhdum Murid Hussain Qureshi in 1946 elections. Raza Shah was the only non-official president of the Multan District Board before Partition, defeating British Depty Commissioner EP Moon in the elections. He was brother of Yousaf Raza’s grandfather Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah.


Raza’s son Hamid Raza Gillani won National Assembly seats in 1962, 1965, 1977 and 1985. He served as parliamentary secretary in 1960s and as a federal miniuster in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s 1977 cabinet. He was elected to Senate of Pakistan in 1991. Mustafa Shah’s son and Yousaf’s father Makhdum Alamdar Gillani was elected to Punjab Assembly in 1951 alongwith his brother Syed Walayat Hussain Shah. Alamdar Gillani was elevated to provincial health minister in 1953. He joined newly born Republican Party in 1956 and was disqualified by Ayub government from electoral politics. His brother and Yousaf’s uncle Rehmat Shah filled the vaccum by joining Ayub’s Conventional Muslim League and winning a provincial seat along with Hamid Raza who kept on leading the family on the electoral scene till the time Yousaf ousted him in 1990. Another cousin of Yousaf Raza Gillani, Syed Tanvirul Hasan Gillani, also won a national seat in 1990 but from the platform of Islami Jamhuri Ittehad (IJI).

Yousaf is also closely knit in the network of feudal-cum-Makhdum politicians of Pakistan. Himself being descendent of Moosa Pak Shaheed, a great saint of Multan, Yousaf’s mother was a sister of Makhdum Hasan Mahmood of Jamaldinwali, Rahimyar Khan. Makhdum Hasan’s other sister was married to Pir of Pagaro. Some shrewed observers believe that Pir Pagara’s statement in favour of Makhdum Amin Faheem’s premiership was a successful attempt to discredit him and pave the way for his nephew’s elevation. Yousaf’s first maternal cousin Makhdum Ahmad Mahmood is provincial president of Pir Pagara’s Functional League. Ahmad Mahmood’s sister is married to General Musharraf’s former loyalist Jehangir Tareen.

The PPP leadership is sure that the combined force of three shrines including Gillanis of Multan, Makhdums of Jamaldinwali and Pirs of Pagaro is sufficient to counter Naulakhi (nine hundred thousand followers) seat of Makhdums of Hala Sharif.


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Maliha Makhdoom, Daughter of Amin Fahim : Another Lucky Daughter
By Rohail Butt • Jan 5th, 2009 • Category: Politics • 3 Comments

Maliha Makhdoom, daughter of the PPP diehard loyalist and Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim (MAF), has been appointed as first secretary to Ireland. She has been hired as a Foreign Service official without fulfilling the prerequisites of appearing in the CSS examination and going through 18-month training in two different academies.

Her appointment has been facilitated at the behest of the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. While following PM’s verbal orders, Foreign Secretary’s office moved the summary for appointment of Amin Fahim’s daughter.

While talking to The News, Maliha Makhdoom confirmed that she would be leaving for her high profile job of a diplomat in the first week of January. When this correspondent asked Maliha Makhdoom if she had taken the CSS examinations as a must requirement, she refused to respond. When this correspondent told her that she had been appointed on the verbal orders of the prime minister, she said there was no harm in it.

This correspondent confronted by asking her if it was the right way to occupy a challenging post of a diplomat. To this she said, “Ask the relevant department.” According to the summary approved by the PM on 28th November, she would draw a salary of $3000 a month. Along with the perks and privileges of a diplomat, she will have a residence with $2500 monthly rent. The summary also says that Maliha Makhdoom, born on 11th February 1980 is appointed as 18-grade officer. Other than her Masters degree, there is no mention of her prior work experience in public service or of her any other relevant training. Maliha Makhdoom did her masters in English Literature from Brunel University, London in 2007.

Although there have been political appointments of the ambassadors, but it has never happened in the history of foreign services that a high profile post of a first secretary is filled by using political influence.

Foreign Office spokesman, when reached for his comment was unaware of any such appointment. After passing the tough CSS examination, the successful candidates are required to take a collective training of 9 months at CSS academy Lahore, followed by another separate training of 9 months at Foreign Services Academy, Islamabad. After eighteen months of rigorous training, final passing out examination under FPSC certifies the candidate for Foreign Office service.

After going through all these procedural requirements, a successful foreign service personnel works on his first assignment as assistant director. After serving for 2 years at the headquarters, the official is then posted abroad as 3rd Secretary for three years.

After a series of postings back to headquarters and abroad, the official reaches the rank of First Secretary. Hence it requires at least ten years of Foreign Service experience to be elevated to such a high position. At some Pakistani missions abroad, First Secretary is the second highest post while at others it’s the third highest.


According to a long-serving diplomat and former Ambassador to Washington Tariq Fatmi, “It’s a very sensitive position. She will not only be privy to all the secret communications but in the absence of the ambassador, she will act as head of the mission.”

He said, “It’s time to move towards professionalism. And nowhere in the world now, political appointments are made at the diplomatic level.” Regarding Maliha Makhdoom’s appointment as First Secretary to Ireland, he said; “Since Ireland is EU member, hence the First Secretary will have a heavy responsibility of fighting Pakistan’s case at a huge platform as EU.”

These days Pakistan is striving hard at the diplomatic level to have a greater access to the European markets. First Secretary’s responsibility is even huge and sensitive, considering Pakistan’s terrible security situation and faltering economy with foreign reserves below 8 billion dollar. “Such a high profile posting, without prior Foreign Service experience, will be highly damaging for Pakistan,” observes Fatmi.

Source: The News

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