Darshan Punshi

Darshan Punshi
درشن پنشی
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
ConstituencyReserved seat for minorities
In office
2008 – 31 May 2018
ConstituencyReserved seat for minorities
Minister of State for Inter Provincial Coordination
In office
4 August 2017 – 31 May 2018
PresidentMamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi
Personal details
NationalityPakistani
Political partyPakistan Muslim League (N)

Darshan Punshi (Urdu: درشن پنشی) is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till August 2023. Previously he was member of the National Assembly from 2008 to May 2018. He served as Minister of State for Inter Provincial Coordination, in Abbasi cabinet from August 2017 to May 2018.

Political career

Punshi was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan on a seat reserved for minorities as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) in the 2008 Pakistani general election.[1]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N on a seat reserved for minorities in the 2013 Pakistani general election.[2][3] During his tenure as Member of the National Assembly, he served as the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.[4]

Following the election of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as Prime Minister of Pakistan in August 2017, he was inducted into the federal cabinet of Abbasi.[5][6] He is believed to be the first Hindu federal cabinet member in Pakistan in 25 years.[7] He was appointed as the Minister of State for Inter Provincial Coordination.[8][9] Upon the dissolution of the National Assembly on the expiration of its term on 31 May 2018, Punshi ceased to hold the office as Minister of State for Inter Provincial Coordination.[10]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N on a reserved seat for minorities in 2018 Pakistani general election.[11]

References

  1. ^ "National Assembly of Pakistan". www.na.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Women, minority seats allotted". DAWN.COM. 29 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Is the NA apathetic towards minority issues?". DAWN.COM. 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  4. ^ "40 state-of-the-art hospitals to be constructed in 3 years, NA told". The Nation. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  5. ^ "A 43-member new cabinet sworn in". Associated Press Of Pakistan. 4 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  6. ^ "PM Khaqan Abbasi's 43-member cabinet takes oath today". Pakistan Today. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Pakistan's new PM Abbasi forms Cabinet with an eye to 2018 poll". The Straits Times. 4 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Portfolios of federal, state ministers". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Bloated cabinet: Influential ministers with powerless underlings – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Notification" (PDF). Cabinet division. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  11. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (12 August 2018). "List of MNAs elected on reserved seats for women, minorities". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 12 August 2018.