Javed Ashraf Qazi

Javed Ashraf Qazi
Qazi in 2012
Born (1941-09-04) 4 September 1941 (age 83)
Shimla, Punjab, British India
Allegiance Pakistan
Service / branch Pakistan Army
Years of service1962 – 1996
Rank Lieutenant General
Service numberPA – 6496
UnitRegiment of Artillery
Commands
Battles / wars
Awards
Other work

Javed Ashraf Qazi (Urdu: جاوید اشرف قاضی), HI(M), SBt, (born 4 September 1941) is a Pakistani military officer and politician who served as a member of the senator during Musharraf administration. He also served as a cabinet minister, first as Communications Minister (2000–2002) and then as Education Minister (2004–2007). Previously, during his army career, Qazi headed the ISI from 1993 to 1995 and Military Intelligence from 1990 to 1991.

Military career

Qazi joined Pakistan Military Academy after graduating from Cadet College Hasan Abdal. He was commissioned in the Pakistan Army April 1962 in the 25th PMA Long Course in the Regiment of Artillery. He later rose in his career to be the DG Military Intelligence under General Mirza Aslam Beg in 1990. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1992, Qazi served as Master-General of Ordnance (MGO) from 1992 to 1993. He was then brought in to head the ISI by General Abdul Waheed Kakar in May 1993. Gen Waheed mandated Qazi not only to cleanse the ISI of "Islamists" but to rein in the "Jihadis" in Kashmir.[1] Qazi left the post in 1995 to assume the command of XXX Corps at Gujranwala. Qazi retired from the army in February 1996 thus relieving the corps.[citation needed]

Political career

Qazi started his political career after taking over as the Secretary of Science and Technology Division in 1996. He continued this post under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif until 1997. He was later inducted as the Secretary of Railways in October 1999 by the new military leader General Pervez Musharraf, which he continued until 2000. Then he became the Minister of Communications and Railways in addition to Housing and Works from 2000 to 2002. He successfully fought the Senate seat in 2003, and became a senator on Pakistan Muslim League (Q) seat. The government later inducted him as Minister of Education in 2004 replacing Zubaida Jalal. His three-year stint ended in 2007, when the 5-year mandate for PML-Q government ended. He later was senator of PMLQ.

Controversies

During his tenure as Federal Education Minister in General Pervez Musharraf's cabinet, Mr. Qazi stirred up controversy when in a talk show he erroneously mentioned that Quran has 40 parts (Juz') instead of 30.[2]

He was accused of transferring tens of hundreds of acres of prime railway land in Lahore to a Malaysian firm during General Musharraf's regime in 2001 for development of a golf course called Royal Palms Gold and Country Club.

Railway Golf course was on lease for Rs 12 per year to an association of retired railway officers. This lease was cancelled by the Railway Executive Committee and was awarded to a Malaysian firm after a bidding process. A case was initiated against the minister and Railway executive committee for misuse of power but was cleared by Accountability court as there was no allegations of corruption. [3]

References

  1. ^ Ikram Sehgal. "Intelligence Happenings" Media Monitors, 24 November 2001
  2. ^ "40 'Siparay': removal of education minister demanded". Business Recorder. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  3. ^ Raza, Syed Irfan (21 February 2018). "17 years on, NAB reopens case against three ex-army generals". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
Military offices
Preceded by Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence
1993 – 1995 		Succeeded by