Multan مُلتان
—  City District  —
Clockwise from top: Multan Fort, Rukn-e-Alam, Shahi Eid Ghah Mosque, Multan Arts Council, Multan Clock Tower and State Bank of Pakistan
Nickname(s): The City of Sufis, The City of Saints, The City of Tombs,Madinah-Tul-Oleyah
Multan Location in Pakistan
Coordinates: 30°11′52″N 71°28′11″E / 30.19778°N 71.46972°E / 30.19778; 71.46972Coordinates: 30°11′52″N 71°28′11″E / 30.19778°N 71.46972°E / 30.19778; 71.46972
Country	Pakistan
Region	Punjab
District	Multan District
Autonomous towns	6
Union councils	4
Government[1][2]
• Nazim	---------------
• Naib nazim
Area
• Total	3,721 km2 (1,437 sq mi)
Elevation	122 m (400 ft)
Population (2010)[citation needed]
• Total	5,006,481
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
Area code(s)	061
Website	www.multan.gov.pk

Multan (Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu: : مُلتان  pronunciation (help·info)), is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan.According to area its 3rd largest city of Pakistan,but according to population its on 5th number. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about 562 km (349 mi) from Islamabad, 356 km (221 mi) from Lahore and 966 km (600 mi) from Karachi. Multan District has a population of 3.1 million (1998).^[3]

Multan is known as the City of Sufis or City of Saints and Madinah-Tul-Awleyah due to the large number of shrines and Sufi saints from the city. According to area its 3rd largest city of Pakistan,but according to population its on 3rd number. The city is full of bazaars, mosques, shrines and ornate tombs. Multan is also the birthplace of Fariduddin Ganjshakar popularly known as Baba Farid who is considered a father of Punjabi language and one of the pioneers in developing Shahmukhī script of Punjabi language which was later adopted by almost all Muslim saints and intellectuals in Punjab region and even in whole of India. Celebrated sufi saint of Punjab and North India Khwaja Ghulam Farid also adopted Shahmukhī script of Punjabi language to convey his teachings.Multan is located in a bend created by five rivers of central Pakistan. The Sutlej River separates it from Bahawalpur and the Chenab River from Muzaffar Garh. The city has grown to become an influential political and economical center for the country, with a dry port and excellent transport links. Multan is famous for its crops: wheat, cotton and sugar cane as well as mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranates.

History[link]

The Multan Clock Tower

A historic cannon in Multan Fort

Multan is one of the oldest cities not only in the Asian subcontinent but also in the world.^{[citation needed]}According to Hindu legends, it was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom at the time of the Mahabharata war, ruled by the Katoch Dynasty. Multan has had various names over the years. According to Hindu mythology, it was originally called Kashtpur (Kashyapapura) after a Hindu sage named Kashyapa, which is also the Gotra used by the Katoch dynasty.^{[citation needed]} Other names were Hanspur (Hamsapura), Bagpur (Vegapura), Sanb or Sanahpur (Sambapura).^[4][5] It has been postulated that the current name is derived from the Sanskrit name Mulasthana named after a Sun Temple.^[6][7] Multan has frequently been a site of conflict due to its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central Asia. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great's army. In the mid-5th century, the city was attacked by a group of Huna Hephthalite nomads led by Toramana.

Multan was conquered along with Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim, from the local ruler Chach of Alor crica 712 AD. Following bin Qasim's conquest, the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an independent state and most of the subjects were non-Muslim.

In 965 CE, Multan was conquered by Halam b. Shayban, an Ismaili da'i. Soon after, Multan was attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni, destabilizing the Ismaili state. Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Multan in 1005 CE, conducting a series of campaigns during which the Ismailis of Multan were massacred.^[8] In an effort to gain his allegiance, the Fatimid Ismaili Imam-caliph al-Hakim^{[disambiguation needed ]} dispatched an envoy to Mahmud two years later. This attempt appeared to be unsuccessful and the Ghaznawids continued to attack other Ismaili strongholds in Sindh to suppress any resurgence of the community in the region. In 1032CE Mahmud's very own vizier, Hasanak was executed for having accepted a cloak from the Imam-caliph on suspicions that he had become an adherent of the Ismaili faith.^[8] Mahmud's purges of the region led several scholars including Stern to believe that the Ghaznawid purges of the region drove out Ismailism from the area, however recently-discovered letters dating to 1083 and 1088 demonstrate continued Ismaili activity in the region, as the Imam-caliph Mustansir dispatched new da'is to replace those who were killed in the attacks.^[8]

Multan's location at the entrance to the sub-continent resulted in it being invaded by a long series of conquerors on their way to Delhi. Timur, Babur and many others passed through the city, leaving much destruction in their wake. This violence continued as when Muhammad of Ghor attacked the city and drove out the remaining Ismailis^[9] whom he deemed to be heretics, in stark contrast to his predecessor, the Ghurid Sultan 'Ala' al-Din who welcomed numerous envoys from the Ismaili state of Alamut and according to the historian Juzjani, gave them "great reverence"^[8] Following annexation to Mughal empire in 1557 CE, at the beginning of emperor Akbar's rule;^[10] Multan enjoyed 200 years of peace, and became known as Dar al-Aman (Abode of Peace). Akbar was known as a wise ruler, setting reasonable taxes, creating effective government and being tolerant of religious differences.

Multan witnessed difficult times as Mughal rule declined in early 1700s, starting after death of emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. The last Naib Subahdars appointed by Farrukhsiyar at Multan were Khan Zaman Khan Ali Asghar ibn Kartalab Khan Bahadur Shahi Qazi Ghulam Mustafa and then Aqidat Khan ibn Ameer Khan.^[11] Persia was united under Nader Shah, ruling from 1736 as Shah of Iran. After his assassination in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani—who was born in Multan—rose to power. This counts as beginning of Durrani Empire.

In 1758, the Marathas under Raghunathrao captured Multan along with Lahore, Attock, Peshawar and Kashmir.^[12][13]

The city was re-captured by Durrani in 1760. However, after death of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1772, the influence of Durrani empire declined sharply in mere fifty years. Starting at late in 1700s, Multan was ruled locally by the Pashtun Sadozai and Khogyani aka Khakwani chieftains.

In 1817, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a body of troops to Multan under the command of Diwan Bhiwani Das to receive from Nawab Muzaffar Khan the tribute he owed to the Sikh Darbar. Bhiwani Das laid siege to the city, but failed to capture Multan. Maharaja Ranjit Singh planned a fresh expedition and sent a strong force under his son Kharak Singh's charge.^[14]

In 1818, Kharak Singh and Hindu Commander Diwan Misr Chand armies lay around Multan without making much initial headway. Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a large cannon named Zamzama . Though in name Armies was commanded by Prince Kharak Singh however it was the military genius of Diwan Misr Chand which captured Multan Fort. Muzzafar Khan urged the Majority Muslim population of Multan to fight a holy war against Sikhs and Hindus, however the tactics of Muzzafar Khan failed miserably as Sikh armies were able to suppress the religious revolt of Multan population. In the battle Diwan Misr Chand led Sikh armies to a decisive victory over Durrani General of Multan Nawab Muzaffar Khan. Muzzafar Khan and seven of his sons were killed before the Multan fort finally fell on March 2, 1818.^[15][16] The death of Durrani General Nawab Muzzafar Khan brought the death of Muslim rule in Multan. After the defeat of Muslims in 1818, Multan came under Muslims only when British Empire divided India into two Portion and gave Muslim majority areas to Muslims in 1947.^[17] Kharak Singh left Jodh Singh Ramgarhia with 600 men to guard the fort of Multan.^[18] The Sikhs thereafter ruled Punjab until 1849, when it was lost in the Second Anglo-Sikh War.. Sardar Karan Narain's son was awarded the title 'Rai Bahadur' and knighted by the British Raj for switching to their side. After the Anglo-Sikh Wars, Multan was made part of the British Raj. The British built some rail routes to the city, but its industrial capacity was never developed.

Multan became part of Pakistan upon Pakistan's independence in 1947.It initially lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited the city.

Geography and climate[link]

The city of Multan is located in Southern Punjab. The closest major city is D.G.Khan and Bahawalpur. The area around the city is a flat, alluvial plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District, providing water from nearby farms. This makes the land very fertile. However usually land close to the Chenab are usually flooded in the monsoon season.

Multan features an arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The city witnesses some of the most extreme weather in the country. The highest recorded temperature is approximately 54 °C (129 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature is approximately −1 °C (30 °F). The average rainfall is roughly 127 millimetres (5.0 in). Dust storms are a common occurrence within the city.

Economy[link]

A local coppersmith displays his wares at the central market in Multan, Pakistan.

Mangos form a large portion of Multan's agricultural export market.

Multan is a commercial and industrial centre, as it is connected with the rest of the country through rail and air including the other industrial hubs such as Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Quetta and Faisalabad. Industries include fertilizer, cosmetics, glass manufacturing, cotton production and processing, large textile units, flour mills, sugar and oil mills and large-scale power generation projects. It is famous for its handicrafts (carpets & ceramics) and cottage industries. Roughly 1,900 acres (7.7 km²) of the city is still forested in the district. Trees grown in the area are Kikar, Shisham and Mulberry.

Large, irregular suburbs have grown outside the old walled town, and two satellite towns have been set up. The mangoes of Multan district are well-known. Multani khussa (traditional shoes), embroidery on dresses for women and men, furniture and other wooden products, earthenware pottery, painted pottery, camel-skin ware, surgical instruments and carpets are a few of the city's major exports, with a great demand within the country as well.

Multan is an important agricultural centre. Wheat, cotton and sugarcane are the main crops grown in the district. Moreover, rice, maize, tobacco, bajra, moong (lentils), mash (lentils), masoor (lentils), oil seed such as rape, mustard and sunflower are also grown in minor quantities in the district. Mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranate are the main fruits grown in the Multan district. Additionally, dates, jaman, pears, phalsa and bananas are grown in minor quantities in the district The city is also rich in minerals. These include argillaceous clay, coal, dolomite, fire clay, gypsum, limestone, silica and rock salt. Most of these are excavated for commercial activities and transported to other cities within the country. Many industrial factories are being inaugurated to handle the separation and quality control of these minerals. The minerals in the city are used in dolomite processing, fire bricks/refractories, hollow glassware, insulators/capacitors and ceramics.

Since Multan is agriculture-based, there is also plenty of livestock still growing at a positive rate, which has led to milk processing/dairy products units, ice cream manufacturing, animal and poultry feed, dairy farms, cattle/sheep/goat fattening plants, meat/poultry processing units, leather garments manufacturing, leather footwear, cosmetics, tinned goods and pharmaceuticals.

Government[link]

Administrative divisions of Multan District

Since the introduction of the local government system in 2001 the city has been governed by a Nazim (Mayor). But now Administrators who are government servants have the powers of Nazims. Multan is spread over an area of 3,721 square kilometers, comprising four tehsils: Multan City, Multan Saddar, Shujabad and Jalalpur Pirwala. In 2005 Multan was reorganised as a City District composed of six autonomous towns:

• Bosan
• Shah Rukan e Alam
• Mumtazabad now known as Moosa Pak Shaheed
• Sher Shah
• Shujabad
• Jalalpur
• Multan Cantonment

Demographics[link]

The Shahi Eid Ghah Mosque, Islam is the major religion in Multan

Urdu is mostly widely spoken and understood. Saraiki and its local dialect known as Multani is also widely spoken. English is only understood by the educated. The majority of the people are Muslims. However, the city does have significant Sikh and Hindu communities within the district. There are some temples and Gurdwaras within the city.

Multan has traditionally been a melting pot of several distinct ethnic groups due to its location at the intersection of all four of Pakistan's main provinces and due to its historical significance as a centre of learning and culture. As a result, Multan today consists of Saraiki, Haryanvi, Punjabi, Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, and Urdu speaking people.

As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, the following are the demographics of the district, by spoken language:

• Saraiki (Multani): 76.6%
• Haryanvi : 16.11% (11.01% in the city)
• Punjabi: 5.86% (6.64% in the city)
• Pashto: 0.62%
• Balochi: 0.10%
• Other: 1.04%

Culture[link]

A Sikh Gurdwara located in central Multan

A fruit vendor in a fruit market in the heart of Multan

Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam

Aerial view of the Multan Cricket Stadium

There is a saying in Persian that Multan is the 'City of Saints, Sufis and Beggars' (Gard, Garma, Gada o Goristan). It is one of the main cities in the Southern Punjab province of Pakistan. The city has been a focal point for many religions, in particular becoming a central abode for Sufism, the mystical side of Islam. The city has attracted Sufi saints from far places of the globe. Today, Multan is known as the 'City of Sufis'. His HighnessShaikh Amin bin Abdul Rehman, who has introduced the Idrisiyya sufi order in Pakistan, lives at 381-A, Shah Rukn-e-Alam Colony, New Multan, where a four-storey mosque adjacent to his residence is visited by people from all over the world. Multan is one of the oldest cities in South Asia, with many tombs, shrines, temples, cathedrals and mausoleums, as well as a historical fort. Today Multan is a combination of old and the new Pakistan culture. There is a big hustle bustle in the old city and comfort of a five star hotel and fine dining in the new. The old city has a various bazaars selling mystical artifacts, perfumes to arts and crafts. There are also elaborately decorated shrines of the Sufi saints, tombs of various travellers and important people within the old city of Multan.

The prime attractions of Multan are its mausoleums of Sufi saints. The Mausoleum of Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya, as well as the Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam are the prime attractions of the city. Their lofty domes of are visible, from miles and dominate the skyline of Multan. Another popular shrine is the Mausoleum of Shams-ud-Din, commonly known as Shah Shamsuddin Sabzwari is located about half a mile to the east of the Multan Fort, on the high bank of the old bed of the Ravi River.

Another famous and beautiful mausoleum of a warrior sufi saint and poet Hazrat Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Multani (1747–1811 AD) is situated near Aam Khas garden outside Daulat Gate, Multan.

There are also a number of other mausoleums located within the city which gather a great deal of attention. The Nuagaza tombs are shrines to martyrs and warriors who fought in wars centuries ago, some dating back 1,300 years ago. The Multan Museum located within the city has a vast collection of coins, medals, postage stamps of the former State of Bahawalpur, manuscripts, documented inscriptions, wood carvings, camel-skin paintings, historical models and stone carvings of the Islamic and Pre-Islamic periods.

Multan also has a number of old mosques which were once considered as the jewels of the city. Some have been dated back to over a thousand years ago and have been recognized as some of the oldest mosques within South East Asia. The legend goes that the first mosque ever built in Multan was the Jamia Mosque which was constructed on the orders of General Mohammed Qasim, who conquered Multan in 712AD. Ruins of this mosque were visible till 1954 at Qasim Bella; however, due to repeated floods, the structure was lost. Sawi Mosque is supposed to be the oldest mosque which still exists today, though in deteriorating state; there are glazed blue tiles from the era in which it was built which dates the mosque to several centuries ago. The second oldest mosque within Multan is Mohammad Khan Wali Mosque. It is an excellent condition, situated in the busiest Chowck Bazar of the city. It was built by Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani, in 1757 when he was the governor of Multan in the time of Alamgir II. The mosque is provided with a reservoir for the ablutions, baths, and a large hall for prayers.

Multan is another Pakistani city that loves cricket. Multan is home of the Faysal Bank T20 Cup team Multan Tigers. The city government inaugurated a new multi-purpose stadium replacing Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium which was the lone stadium used for football and cricket matches. The inauguration of the new stadium has allowed the city to offer Test day/night matches as well as other national sports such as hockey, badminton and football. The stadium is home to the Multan Cricket Association. Other sports grounds include Divisional Sports Ground and the Pakistan Cricket Board owned Government College Cricket Ground

Education[link]

In 1950, then-Governor Abdur Rub Nishtar founded Nishter Medical College. Doctor graduates of this institution have spread across the world, and many have become established names in the field of medicine. The new Nishtar Institute of Dentistry provides dental and surgical services to Multan and the adjoining cities. Bahauddin Zakariya University (formerly known as Multan University) is the main source of higher education for this region. The Swedish Institute of Technology in Multan is a campus of the Swedish Group of Technical Institutes, the largest private-sector organization providing technical education and vocational training in the Punjab.^[19] Multan Medical and Dental College is the only private medical institution in Southern Punjab. Now more universities from federal are also open there campuses here in Multan as they are trying to make this city more educated like AIR university,NUML( National university of modern languages ),a private institute of medical college name MMDC ( Multan medical and dental college ), The first Education Institute, Institute of Southern Punjab is the only private institute recognize by HEC in Multan.

Restaurants in Multan[link]

Multan is full of bazaars, mosques, shrines and plenty of places to have food. Restaurants in Multan serve array of cuisine’s including Pakistan Food, Continental Food, Fast Food, Arabic, BBQ and Chinese. Restaurants in Multan Range from Multi National Food Chains like (KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut) to some amazing Local Restaurants like Bundu Khan, MUX Lounge and Restaurant, Zanzibar. Some famous cuisines of the city are the Multani Mutton Chops and a special dessert named "Sohan halwa".

Transportation[link]

Nishtar Chowk Flyover

Chungi No 8 Flyover

Multan has connections with other cities by a variety of means of transportation. The district has concrete road reaching up to 983.69 km. The district is linked with Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh districts through concrete roads. Buses to Bahawalpur leave frequently, since it is located closely to the city. There are a variety of buses travelling farther from the city. Many of them are now air-conditioned with a fairly good safety record. The N-5 National Highway connects the city to connect to all parts of Pakistan. The road otherwise, known as GT Road, allows connections to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore as well as Bahawalpur. Coach services such as Daewoo Express, Faisal Movers Express, Niazi Express,Khan brothers transport, Nadir flying coach, Punjab Tourism Department, Skyways and New Khan Bus Service are some of the most reliable coach companies operating out of Multan.

Multan is connected by rail with all parts of the country and lies on the main track between Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta. The main Peshawar-Karachi railway line passes through Multan district. The district then links trains to nearby districts of Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzafargarh districts through the railway network.^[20]

Multan International Airport is an airport situated 10 km away from the city centre of Multan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan to mainly to other points within Pakistan as well as the Middle East. Flight are currently operated by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. However, since the growth of air travel within the region, there has been speculated interest from other private carriers. The rise in air-travel has also led to the expansion of the current airport with a new runway and terminal.

Notable saints of Multan[link]

• Shah Yousaf Gardezi (d. 1136), tomb located inner Bohar Gate Multan
• Mai Maharban (11/12th Century), tomb located near Chowk Fawara, children complex Multan
• Bahauddin Zikarya (1170–1267), tomb located in Multan Fort
• Shah Shams Sabzwari (1165–1276)
• Shah Rukne Alam (1251–1335), tomb located in Multan Fort
• Khawaja Awais Kagha (d. 1300), tomb located in Dera Basti graveyard Multan
• Syed Musa Pak (d. 1592)
• Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Multani (1747–1811)
• Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari (1892–1961), buried in Jalal Bakri
• Sher Shah, tomb located in Sher Shah town of Multan city
• Sufi Naazar Hussain, tomb located in setal marri, nobahar neher Multan

Notable people from Multan[link]

• Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari (Founder of Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam, Died in Multan)
• Amjad Islam Amjad, poet and drama writer, born in Multan
• Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistani cricketer
• Javed Hashmi of PTI, first MNA, elected eight times
• Jinnahbhai Poonja, father of Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, born in Multan
• Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani

Twin cities[link]

Multan has a friendship agreement with three cities in the world as of 2011^[update]:

• Rome, Italy^[21]
• Konya, Turkey^[22]
• Rasht, Iran^[23]
• Banten Province, Indonesia, Start since 11 July 2011

See also[link]

• List of places in Multan
• History of Multan
• Climate of Multan
• City Wall of Multan
• Multan International Airport
• Siege of Multan
• Battle of Multan
• Mausoleums of Multan
• Multan Division
• Multan District
• Hindu temples in Multan
• List of educational institutions in Multan
• Mosques of Multan
• Multan Museum
• Multan Fort
• NFC Institute of Engineering and Technological Training

References[link]

External links[link]

Find more about Multan on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

• Multan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Multan City government website
• Britannica: Multan
• Multan City portal
• Historic Places Preservation Project Multan

v t e Districts of Punjab, Pakistan Attock Bahawalnagar Bahawalpur Bhakkar Chakwal Chiniot Dera Ghazi Khan Faisalabad Gujranwala Gujrat Hafizabad Jhang Jhelum Kasur Khanewal Khushab Lahore Layyah Lodhran Mandi Bahauddin Mianwali Multan Muzaffargarh Narowal Nankana Sahib Okara Pakpattan Rahim Yar Khan Rajanpur Rawalpindi Sahiwal Sargodha Sheikhupura Sialkot Toba Tek Singh Vehari See also: Districts of Punjab, India

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Yousaf Raza Gillani یوسف رضا گیلانی
16th Prime Minister of Pakistan
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 March 2008
President	Pervez Musharraf Muhammad Mian Soomro (Acting) Asif Ali Zardari
Preceded by	Muhammad Mian Soomro
Speaker of the National Assembly
In office 17 October 1993 – 16 February 1997
Preceded by	Gohar Ayub Khan
Succeeded by	Elahi Bux Soomro
Personal details
Born	(1952-06-09) 9 June 1952 (age 60) Karachi, Pakistan
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party
Spouse(s)	Fauzia Gillani[1]
Children	5
Alma mater	Forman Christian College Government College University University of the Punjab
Religion	Islam

Yousuf Raza Gillani^[2], also spelled Gilani,^[3] MP (Urdu, Saraiki: یوسف رضا گیلانی; English IPA: jusæf ɾæzə ɡillɑnɪ̈ ; b. June 9, 1952) is the 16th and current Prime Minister of Pakistan and the vice-chairman of the democratic socialist party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).^[4] Gillani was nominated for the office of prime minister and became prime minister when his party formed the coalition government with Pakistan Muslim League, Awami National Party, Assembly of Islamic Clergy and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), after his party secured a considerable victory on 2008 parliamentary elections. He is the first prime minister from the Saraiki-speaking belt,^[5] and also the longest serving prime minister with a period span of 45 months, chairing more than 100 cabinet and parliamentary sessions; the most any successive democratic government in the political history of the country.^[6]

He first successfully contested 1988 parliamentary elections and has been a senior member of parliament for the Multan-IV constituency since 1988, heading the Ministry of Tourism under the government of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.^[7] After his party wining the plurality in 1990 parliamentary elections, Gillani was nominated by Benazir Bhutto to become the 15th Speaker of the National Assembly, serving until 16 February 1997.^[7] On 11 February 2001, Gillani was imprisoned by military court instituted under by then-CMLA and President Pervez Musharraf^[8] on the accusations and charges on corruption in infamous Adiala Jail, and released on 7 October 2006.^[8][4]

Gillani's Pakistan Peoples Party won a considerable victory in the 2008 parliamentary elections, and with the consent of coalition government, Gillani was nominated for the office of Prime minister, taking the oath from President Pervez Musharraf on 25 March 2008. In a first inaugural session, Gillani announced the formation of the Truth and reconciliation commission, reducing the federal budget deficits, reconstruction of the troubled tribal belt, education, land, and agriculture reforms, and lifting the bans on elected labor and students' unions, followed by new energy and nuclear policy to reduce the level of the loadshedding in the country.^[9][10] A consistently strong U.S.-ally prime minister^[11] , Gillani was ranked as the 38th most powerful person in the world by Forbes.^[12] On 25 April, 2012, the Supreme Court of Pakistan convicted Gillani for violating the Article 63(1) (g) of the Constitution of Pakistan.^[13] The verdict was given after the Supreme Court of Pakistan found the prime minister guilty of contempt of court for refusing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, but gave him only a symbolic sentence "till the rising of the court" in the courtroom, a sentence lasting 30 seconds.^[14]

Background[link]

Makhdoom Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani belongs to an influential and spiritual family of Multan, born on June 9, 1952 in Karachi, Pakistan. His father was a descendant of Syed Musa Pak, a leading spiritual figure of Multan who had hailed from the Iranian province of Gilan. One of Gillani's maternal aunt is the wife of Pir Pagara. Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is married and has four sons and one daughter, Fiza Gillani and one grandson.^[15]

Family and education[link]

Gillani was born on 9 June 1952 in Karachi, Sindh Province, West-Pakistan. Shortly, Gillani moved to Multan, Punjab Province, attending the Forman Christian College University.^[16] He attended Government College University and obtained his B.A. in Journalism in 1970^[17] , and followed by M.A. in Political Journalism from University of the Punjab in 1976.^[17]

Gillani is married with Fauzia Gillani, together they have five children; four sons and one daughter, and one grandson.^[18] His eldest son, 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. Abdul Qadir is alleged to have been involved in a corruption case over arrangements for pilgrims to Mecca and in a scandal at a state-owned insurance company.^[19] Gillani's three other sons Ali Qasim Gillani, Ali Musa Gillani and Ali Haider Gillani are triplets. Qasim Gillani is currently doing his undergraduate from Brunel University of London whereas Musa Gillani completed his Masters from Queen Mary University of London in 2009. Ali Haider Gillani is studying at School of Economics in Lahore. Ali Musa Gillani after completing his studies is now actively participating in politics. Ali Musa was questioned by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) agents over a scandal involving the production of the drug Ecstasy.^[20] Yousaf Raza Gillani's daughter is Fiza Gillani.

Public servant[link]

Yousaf Raza Gillani's political career took off in the military government of President General Zia-ul-Haq in 1978, after first joining the as the member of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), alongside with industrialist Navaz Sharif.^[21] But soon left the PML, due to political differences with the PML's leadership.^[21] He was chosen by General Zia-ul-Haq as a nominee for the public servant work in Multan. In 1983, Gillani became chairman of the Multan union council.^[22]

He first contested in non-partisan and technocratic 1985 general elections and elected as the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) of Parliament^[22] from Lodhran but later affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Party after developing serious political differences with Pakistan Muslim League (PML) led by conservative leader Fida Khan.^[21] As of current, the constituency seat now hold by Saddique Baloch. He fell out with Prime minister Mohammad Junejo and sidlined from the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) by the senior leadership.^[22] Later, he was ousted by Prime minister Junejo and was replaced by other members.^[22] According to Gillani's personal accounts, he went to Karachi to meet with Benazir Bhutto during 1980s and presented his political experience to immediately join the peoples party.^[22] After securing a party ticket and successfully contesting in 1988 general elections, Gillani joined the first government of Prime minister Benazir Bhutto and became minister of the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) in March 1989 until January 1990.^[21] Later he became minister of Ministry of Housing and Work Force but continued this government assignment until August 1990.^[21]

Gillani boycotted the 1990 general elections but returned to power politics in 1993.^[21] He successfully defended his constituency in 1993 general elections and took oath of the office of Minister for Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.^[21] However, he resigned from his ministry after being nominated by Benazir Bhutto for office of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1993. He chaired the as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan until 1997 when the new general election in 1997 were held in the country. He was succeeded by Ilahi Bux of the Pakistan Muslim League-N on February 2, 1997.^[21]

Imprisonment[link]