Hammad Azhar

Hammad Azhar
محمد حماد اظہر
Federal Minister for Energy
In office
17 April 2021 – 10 April 2022
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byOmar Ayub Khan
Succeeded byKhurram Dastgir Khan
Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue
In office
29 March 2021 – 17 April 2021
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byAbdul Hafeez Shaikh
Succeeded byShaukat Tarin
Federal Minister for Industries & Production
In office
6 April 2020 – 16 April 2021
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byAbdul Razak Dawood (as Advisor)
Succeeded byKhusro Bakhtiar
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs
In office
10 July 2019 – 6 April 2020
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byAbdul Hafeez Shaikh (as Advisor)
Succeeded byKhusro Bakhtiar
Minister of State for Revenue
In office
11 September 2018 – 8 July 2019
Prime MinisterImran Khan
MinisterAsad Umar
(As Federal Minister)
Abdul Hafeez Shaikh
(As Advisor for Finance)
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
13 August 2018 – 17 January 2023
ConstituencyNA-126 (Lahore-IV)
President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Punjab
Acting
Assumed office
16 December 2023
Preceded byYasmin Rashid
Personal details
Born (1981-08-10) 10 August 1981 (age 43)[1]
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Political party PTI (2011-present)
Parent
Alma materSOAS, University of London

Muhammad Hammad Azhar (Urdu: محمد حماد اظہر) is a Pakistani politician from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He was elected from NA-126 (Lahore-IV) in 2018 Pakistani general election and remained a member of National Assembly of Pakistan between August 2018 to January 2023. He served in various ministerial positions in Imran Khan ministry between 2018 and April 2022. He served as Energy Minister of Pakistan and Finance Minister of Pakistan between 16 April 2021 to 3 April 2022 and 29 March 2021 to 16 April 2021 respectively.[2][3]

He also served as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs (10 July 2019 to 5 April 2020), Federal Minister of Industries and Production (6 April 2020 to 6 March 2021), Minister of State for Revenue (11 September 2018 to 9 July 2019) and Federal Minister for Revenue (8 July 2019 to 9 July 2019).[4][5] He is currently serving as the President of PTI in Punjab.

Early life and education

Hammad Azhar was born to the former Governor of Punjab (1990–1993) and later co-founder of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Mian Muhammad Azhar,[1] into a political Punjabi Arain family of Lahore.

He received his early education from Aitchison College and later was a pupil at Wellington College.

He later graduated with a bachelor's degree in Development Economics from the SOAS, University of London and then completed his postgraduate diploma in Law from the BPP Law School.[6]

He enrolled for the Bar Vocational Course in 2004 and was formally called to the Bar at The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn in 2005.[7]

Political career

Azhar joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2011.[1]

He ran for the seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-121 (Lahore-IV) in 2013 Pakistani general election but was unsuccessful. He received 68,307 votes and lost the seat to Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed.[8]

Azhar was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-126 (Lahore-IV) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[9]

On 11 September 2018, Azhar was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan[10] and was appointed Minister of State for Revenue.[11][12] On 11 June 2019, Hammad presented the 2019-20 annual budget of Pakistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan.[13]

On 8 July 2019, Azhar was elevated to the post of Federal Minister and was appointed Federal Minister for Revenue.[6] The next day, he ceased to hold the office of federal minister for Revenue Division and was appointed the federal minister for Economic Affairs Division.[14]

On 6 April 2020 he was removed from the position of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, and was given the portfolio of Federal Minister for Industries and Production.

On 12 June 2020, Hammad presented the Rs. 7,294.9 billion 2020-21 annual Corona budget of Pakistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan reflecting a reduction in its size by 11 percent from the budget estimates for fiscal 2019–20.

“Formulation and presentation of the budget in times of the coronavirus pandemic that besets the world at present and is on the ascent in Pakistan at the moment with total uncertainty about its descent is almost an impossible task, particularly for a developing country like Pakistan and therefore, the present budget can at best be viewed as 'work in progress' that would need a revision/tweaking as the economic fallout from the pandemic continues to unfold.”[15]

On 29 March 2021, after the removal of Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from Federal Cabinet, Azhar was given additional charge of Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue.[16]

On 17 April 2021, Shaukat Tareen was appointed Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue and Hammad Azhar was promoted as Federal Minister of Energy. This ministry is considered to be the most difficult due to rising circular debt and costly power agreements that require new negotiations.[17]

On 16 December 2023, he was appointed as acting President of PTI's provincial chapter in Punjab.[18]

Professional career

Hammad Azhar is a barrister by profession.[19]

He has also been involved in his family-owned company AFCO Steel Industries, one of the largest and oldest steel manufacturing groups in Pakistan.[20] It was established in Jalandhar, now in Indian Punjab, in the 1930s.

His other professional postings include:

Awards and recognition

In 2020, the World Economic Forum (WEF) named Hammad Azhar, then Minister for Economic Affairs, as one of its Young Global Leaders from South Asia. According to a press release, the WEF identifies the world's most promising leaders under the age of 40 who are driving innovation for positive change across civil society, arts, culture, government and business. Azhar had been named alongside 114 young global leaders.[24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Baton passed: Hammad Azhar: Crying out for a change | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Hammad Azhar appointed as Federal Minister of Finance and Revenue". The News International. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  3. ^ Wasim, Amir (16 April 2021). "Hammad Azhar given energy ministry, Shaukat Tarin made finance minister in latest cabinet reshuffle". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Govt decides to replace Hafeez Shaikh, appoint Hammad Azhar as new finance minister: sources". The News International. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Banking wizard Shaukat Tarin made third finance minister in weeks | SAMAA". Samaa TV. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b Sherani, Tahir (9 July 2019). "Hammad Azhar elevated to post of federal minister for revenue". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  7. ^ Sherani, Tahir (9 July 2019). "Hammad Azhar elevated to post of federal minister for revenue". DAWN.COM.
  8. ^ "2013 election result" (PDF). ECP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  9. ^ "LIVE UPDATES: PTI leads in election 2018 results". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  10. ^ "PM Imran's cabinet expanded by six | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  11. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (13 September 2018). "State ministers for revenue, frontier regions notified". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Govt announces portfolios of new ministers". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar to present Federal Budget 2019-20". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  14. ^ Sherani, Tahir (10 July 2019). "Hammad Azhar relieved of Revenue Division portfolio in a day, given economic affairs charge". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  15. ^ Sherani, Tahir (13 June 2020). "Hammad Azhar presents the budget". Business Recorder. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Hammad Azhar notified as finance minister". The Express Tribune. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  17. ^ Wasim, Amir (16 April 2021). "Hammad Azhar given energy ministry, Shaukat Tarin made finance minister in latest cabinet reshuffle". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Hammad Azhar appointed PTI Punjab acting president". GNN. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Baton passed: Hammad Azhar: Crying out for a change | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  20. ^ Hussain, Abid (8 June 2023). "Imran Khan supporters say their businesses targeted in Pakistan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  21. ^ Board of Governors Asian Development Bank (ADB).
  22. ^ Board of Governors Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
  23. ^ Board of Governors Islamic Development Bank.
  24. ^ "Meet the young leaders set to shape 2020". World Economic Forum.
  25. ^ "World Economic Forum names Hammad Azhar among Young Global Leaders from South Asia". www.geo.tv.