Look up ansar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ansar may refer to:

• Ansar, Lebanon, a village in south Lebanon
• Ansar, North Khorasan, a village in North Khorasan Province, Iran
• Ansar, a village in Siwan district of Bihar, India
• Ansar (deity), an ancient Babylonian sky god
• Ansar (Islam), citizens from Medina who helped Mohammed
• Ansar (military), a class of Arabian warriors
• Ansar (Sudan), a Sufi religious movement in the Sudan

Al Ansar / Al-Ansar

• Al-Ansar FC, a Lebanese football team
• Al Ansaar (Libya), a Libyan football team
• Al-Ansar (Saudi Arabia), a Saudi Arabian multi-sports club
  • Al-Ansar (Saudi Arabia, basketball)

Others

• Ansar al-Islam, a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis promoting a radical interpretation of Islam
• Ansar-e Hezbollah, a militant conservative Islamic group in Iran
• Ansarullah, an auxiliary organization of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Ansaaru Allah Community, a black nationalist group founded by Malachi Z. York

See also[link]

• Ansari (disambiguation)
• Al Ansar

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ansar Abbasi al_Hashmi (Urdu: انصار عباسی) is an investigative editor for one of the leading newspapers from Pakistan, The News International.

Early life and education[link]

Abbasi was born in Murree and did his early education in his native village. Abbasi did his matriculation at Sir Syed School Rawalpindi. He then joined Government College Asghar Mall from where he completed his Intermediate and later graduated with a ‘Bachelors in Arts’ degree from the same college. He did his Masters at Balochistan University, Quetta. He later earned another Masters degree from Goldsmiths College, University of London.^[1] His research thesis was on child labor.

Career in journalism[link]

After Masters in Mass Communication, Abbasi started his career as a professional journalist in 1991. His first stint was with an English language daily, The Democrat. Later, he worked for two months at Pakistan Times, before eventually joining The News International, of which he is now an editor.

Investigative articles[link]

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry[link]

Ansar Abbasi was among the first to bring forth allegations against Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhray for gross misconduct in 2002, accusing him for admitting his son Dr. Arsalan to the Federal Investigation Agency undermining all merits.^[2] Primarily based on this allegation the establishment moved a reference to Supreme Judicial Council against Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhry.

Pervez Musharraf[link]

Abbasi has published work critical of the regime of former President Pervez Musharraf accusing him of building a multi-million rupee residence at Chak Shehzad, equipped with utilities at much cheaper rates with differential subsidized by the government.^[3]

He was critical of the former general for removing the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry and submitting his case to the Supreme Judicial Council.^[4]

Maulana Fazl ur Rehman[link]

In November 2008, Abbasi published a story on the award of acres of military land worth millions of rupees to the family members of the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazl ur Rehman. Abbasi alleged that the regime of the then president General Pervez Musharraf attempted to buy off Maulana's opposition to the General's assumption of two public offices at a time.^[5] The issue was silenced when Maulana Fazl ur Rahman publicly questioned how the multi-billion empire of Geo/Jang Group grew from a single room.^{[citation needed]}

Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar[link]

"Our Special Daughters", an investigative report by Ansar Abbasi in Daily News, found out that Justice Dogar's daughter Farah Hameed Dogar's examination paper for F.Sc. were reassessed in violation of a previous Supreme Court ruling.^[6] While the results of 201 candidates were revised, only for her were the examination papers re-marked and the numbers increased. In the other 200 cases, only errors in adding the total marks were corrected.^[7] The case later went on to the parliamentary committee for education.^[8]

Life threats[link]

Abbasi is alleged to have received death threats for which he blamed different groups, including those associated with the ruling coalition. His claims first appeared in The News on December 25, 2008.^{[Full citation needed]}. These claims were made to cover up his ties to the ISI.

Umer Cheema, an investigative reporter, was abducted and tortured for six hours by a group of unidentified men. During his abduction, Cheema was warned to stop reporting against the government. The reporter also claimed one of the abductors saying if the criticisms against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party‎ kept going, Ansar Abbasi would be targeted next.^[9] However, it is widely thought that Umer Cheema abduction is done by military agencies as his main focus was criticizing the army.

Religious Views[link]

Ansar Abbasi has always been vocal about the central role of Religion in his life and career. Ansar Abbasi claims to be a pious Muslim and has been seen to have deep rooted conservative views. Such views were made controversially public during 2009 when a video of a the Flogging of a Swat Girl was released.^[10] He has publicly voiced Anti-Western 'standards' and morals, and calls for Pakistan to go back to the ways of Islam during the life of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).^[11] During the Swat Girl incident Ansar Abbasi stated that he did not find anything to be wrong with the idea of flogging even on a girl, and that is was appropriate punishment, and only due to the westernisation of Pakistan are people voicing complaints against it, what he calls "Liberl Facists" ^[12] which generated much controversy as the Taliban leader has claimed bombing many schools, hospitals and killing oridanry women and citizens.

See also[link]

• List of Pakistani journalists
• Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Ansar_Abbasi
2. ^ http://pakistaniat.com/2007/03/13/pakistan-wasi-zafar-voice-america-interview-news-ansar-abassi-law-minister-supreme-court/
3. ^ http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=22302
4. ^ http://pkpolitics.com/2008/11/12/capital-talk-12-november-2008/
5. ^ http://www.deraywal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82:mulana-fazl-ur-rehmans-corruption-exposed&catid=48:urdu-article&Itemid=61
6. ^ http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=18574
7. ^ http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=18598
8. ^ http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/farah-dogar-case-fbise-employees-to-face-the-music-779
9. ^ http://www.sananews.net/english/2010/09/05/newspaper%E2%80%99s-reporter-tortured-humiliated-after-abduction/
10. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=109XWRm3-1o
11. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbQetKAjCfs
12. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8af6TPUvcE

Asma Jahangir
Asma Jahangir, having received the Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Worship in 2010
Supreme Court Bar Association
Taking office October 27, 2010
President	Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister	Yousaf Raza Gillani
Succeeding	Qazi Anwar
Chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
In office 1987 – Incumbent
Personal details
Born	Asma Jilani Jahangir January 1952 (age 60) Lahore, Punjab province, West-Pakistan (now-Pakistan)
Nationality	Pakistani
Children	1 son and 2 daughter
Residence	Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)
Alma mater	Punjab University (LL.B.) Kinnaird College (B.A.) University of St. Gallen (J.S.D.)
Occupation	President of Supreme Court Bar Association
Profession	Lawyer and Human rights activist
Supreme Court of Pakistan	Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of Pakistan
Notable Awards	Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2010) Martin Ennals Award (1995) Ramon Magsaysay Award Leo Eitinger Award (2002) Millennium Prize Four Freedoms Award (2010)

Asma Jilani Jahangir (Urdu: عاصمہ جہانگیر) (born January 27, 1952 in Lahore) is a leading Pakistani lawyer, advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, President Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and human rights activist, who works both in Pakistan and internationally to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, women, and exploitation of children.

She was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief from August 2004 to July 2010 (first attached to the former Commission on Human Rights, now to the Human Rights Council). Previously, she served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions. She is also chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Early life[link]

Jahangir was born into a prosperous and politically active family with a history of activism and human rights work. Her father, Malik Ghulam Jilani, was a civil servant who entered politics upon retirement and spent years both in jail and under house arrest for opposing military dictatorships. Her father was imprisoned on several occasions for his outspoken views, which included denouncing the Pakistani government for genocide during their military action in what is now Bangladesh. Her mother, educated at a co-ed college at a time when few Muslim women even received higher education, also fought the traditional system, pioneering her own clothing business when the family's lands were confiscated in 1967 as a result of her husband's opinions and detention.^[1] Jahangir herself became involved at a young age in protests against the military regime as well as opposing her father's detention by then president, Benazir Bhutto's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1972. She received her B.A. from Kinnaird College, Lahore and her law degree in 1978,^[2] and her LLB from Punjab University. She also holds an honorary doctorate from University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.^[3], Queens University, Canada and Cornell University, USA.

Work[link]

She has spent her career defending the human and women rights, rights of religious minorities and children in Pakistan. Jahangir was and remains a staunch critic of the Hudood Ordinance and blasphemy laws of Pakistan put in place as part of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's Islamization program in Pakistan.^[4][5] She is a founding member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and has served as Secretary-General and later Chairperson of the organization.

In 1980, Jahangir and her sister, Hina Jilani, got together with fellow activists and lawyers to form the first law firm established by women in Pakistan. In the same year they also helped form the Women's Action Forum (WAF), a pressure group campaigning against Pakistan's discriminatory legislation, most notably against the Proposed Law of Evidence, where the value of a woman's testimony was reduced to half that of a man's testimony, and the Hadood Ordinances, where victims of rape had to prove their innocence or else face punishment themselves.^[6] On February 12, 1983, the Punjab Women Lawyers Association in Lahore organised a public protest (one of its leaders was Jahangir) against the Proposed Law of Evidence, during which Jahangir and other participating WAF members were beaten, teargassed, and arrested by police.^[7]

The first WAF demonstration, however, took place in 1983 when some 25-50 women took to the streets protesting the controversial case of Safia Bibi. In 1983, Safia, a blind 13-year-old girl, was raped by her employers, and as a result became pregnant, yet ended up in jail charged with fornication (zina) sentenced to flogging, 3 years of imprisonment and fined. (Jahangir defended Safia in her appeal and eventually the verdict was overruled by an appeals court due to pressure and protests.)^[8] They would say: "We (their law firm) had been given a lot of cases by the advocate general and the moment this demonstration came to light, the cases were taken away from us."^[9]

In 1982 Jahangir earned the nickname "little heroine" after leading a protest march in Islamabad against a decision by then-president Zia ul Haq to enforce religious laws and stated: "Family laws [which are religious laws] give women few rights" and that "They have to be reformed because Pakistan cannot live in isolation. We cannot remain shackled while other women progress." ^[10]

In 1986 Jahangir and Hina set up AGHS Legal Aid, the first free legal aid centre in Pakistan. The AGHS Legal Aid Cell in Lahore also runs a shelter for women, called 'Dastak'. Look after by her secretary Munib Ahmed.^[11]

She is also a proponent of protecting the rights of persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan and speaks out against forced conversions.^[12]

Jahangir has campaigned against human rights abuses taking place in government and police custody in Pakistan, i.e. rape in police custody is widespread but vastly under-reported; "Women are arrested, raped and sexually assaulted every day in the presence of female constables, who find themselves helpless in such situations." ^[13]

In 1996 the High Court in Lahore ruled that an adult Muslim woman could not get married without the consent of her male guardian (wali). Women, who chose their husbands independently, could be forced to annul their marriages and the repercussions were highlighted by Jahangir, who also took on such cases (i.e. the case of Saima Waheed);^[14][15] "Hundreds have already been arrested. This is simply going to open up the floodgates for the harassment of women and girls by their families and the authorities. The courts have sanctioned their oppression. Thousands more are bound to be affected by this."^[16]

Jahangir has demanded that the government of Parvez Musharraf work to improve the record of human rights domestically. Citing examples of human rights abuses, she wrote, "A Hindu income tax inspector gets lynched in the presence of the army personnel for allegedly having made a remark on the beard of a trader. Promptly, the unfortunate Hindu government servant is booked for having committed blasphemy, while the traders and the Lashkar-e-Taiba activists were offered tea over parleys. A seventy-year-old Mukhtaran Bibi and her pregnant daughter Samina are languishing in Sheikhupura jail on trumped-up charges of blasphemy.^[17]

She is also an active opponent of child labour and capital punishment: "It would be hypocrisy to defend laws I don't believe in, like capital punishment, the blasphemy law and laws against women and in favor of child labor."^[10]

Asma Jahangir served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions from 1998 to 2004, and as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief from 2004 to 2010.^[18]

In her capacity as a UN official, Jahangir was in Pakistan, when Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in 2007. In November 2006, she participated the international meeting for The Yogyakarta Principles as one of 29 experts. On November 5, 2007, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour indicated that Jahangir was among the judicial and political officials detained by the Musharraf government.^[19]

During her election campaign for the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan in October 2010, right wing miscreants backed by some elements of the notorious Pakistani ISI indulged in a massive propaganda about Asma Jahangir but their efforts were unsuccessful and she won the elections for President SCBAP. These miscreants resorted to publishing false accusations about her in posters and pamphlets that were put up outside courts and posted to lawyers. They wrongly alleged that Asma Jahangir is supportive of Mr. Narrendra Modi, the notorious Chief Minister of Gujarat, India, under whose rule scores of Muslims were killed in rioting. Ms Jahangir as a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion was on an official mission to India where she had to meet all State and non-State actors who were involved in her mandate. She visited Mr. Modi and right wing elements show a picture of her with him to accuse her of supporting him while they ignored that she had publicly denounced the violence that had gone on in Gujarat and had denounced the alleged role of the State in it. Her report of the mission is available on the United Nations website at A/HRC/10/8/Add.3 on 26 January 2009 and she also made a press conference where she especially noted the riots in Gujarat and involvement of the State in it in many leading newspapers. http://www.hindu.com/nic/asmajahangir.htm

House arrest[link]

On November 5, 2007, The Economist reported that "Over 500 lawyers, opposition politicians and human rights activists have been arrested. They include Asma Jahangir, boss of the country’s human-rights commission and a former UN special rapporteur. In an e-mail from her house arrest, where she has been placed for 90 days, Ms Jahangir regretted that General Musharraf had "lost his marbles".^[20][21][22]

Author[link]

In addition to many publications, Jahangir has authored two books: Divine Sanction? The Hudood Ordinance (1988, 2003) and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan (1992).^[23]

One of her major publications is titled "Whither are We!" and was published in Dawn, on October 2, 2000.^[24]

Threats[link]

Jahangir has received numerous threats over the years due to her activism and human rights work^[4][25] and particularly after defending a 14 year old Christian boy, Salamat Masih, accused of blasphemy^[26][27] and ultimately winning the case in 1995,^[28] a mob at the High Court smashed Jahangir's car, assaulted her and her driver, threatening her with death.^[29] Jahangir and her family have been attacked, taken hostage, had their home broken into and received death threats ever since, but she continues her battle for justice.^[10][30][31]

When Jahangir undertook the case of Saima Sarwar in 1999, who was given shelter at Dastak after leaving her husband, wanting a divorce and later gunned down by her family in an act of honor killing, Jahangir received death threats for representing Saima in her divorce proceedings.^{[32][33][34][35]}

In May 2005 Jahangir announced that she would hold a symbolic mixed-gender marathon in Lahore to raise awareness about violence against women. This was following the revelations of cases such as Mukhtar Mai. Tensions boiled over, as Islamist groups and supporters of the political Islamist alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) armed with firearms, batons and Molotov cocktails,^[36] violently opposed the race, and Jahangir received especially rough treatment from local police and intelligence agents, who began to strip off her clothes in public. Of this Jahangir said "A lot of people tried to cover my back because I could only feel it I could not see my back. When they were putting me on the police van, they assured that my photograph was taken while my back was bare. This was just to humiliate, this was simply just to humiliate me."^[37] A police officer told Jahangir that they had orders to be strict and to tear off the participant’s clothes. In addition she along with other participants was also beaten.^[38]

Acknowledgements[link]

In 1995, Jahangir received the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for "greatness of spirit shown in service of the people".^[2]

In 2001 Jahangir and Hina Jilani were awarded the Millennium prize, by UNIFEM (the United Nations Development Fund for Women) in collaboration with the non-governmental organisation International Alert.^[10]

In 2002 she was awarded the Lisl and Leo Eitinger Prize.^[4]

In 2005 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for Peace project.^[39]

On May 29, 2010 at the International Four Freedoms Award 2010 Jahangir will receive the Freedom of Worship Medal for her human rights and religious freedom activism in a ceremony held in the Nieuwe Kerk in Middelburg, Holland.^[40]

On March 23, 2010 for services in Human Rights, she was awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, the second highest civilian award of Pakistan.^[41]

On October 27, 2010 She won the Supreme Court Bar Association election by defeating her competitor Ahmed Awais and securing 834 of total votes and became the first ever women President of SCBA in the history of Pakistan. .^[42]

On December 10, 2010 she was awarded with the 2010 UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights, recognizing her efforts as a human rights defender.^[43][44]

Personal life[link]

She is married and has a son and two daughters, Munizae Jahangir, a journalist and Sulema Jahangir, who is also a lawyer.^[45]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Interview 'Pakistan Should Have Taken The Moral High Ground' August 29, 1998
• ABC News - Nightline Interview: A Matter of Honor By Forrest Sawyer February 15, 1999
• Profile of Asma Jahangir 2000
• Democracy is Survival for Women 2000
• RAWA Articles on Asma Jahangir March 2000
• A law to lament By Asma Jahangir June 5, 2002
• Asma Jahangir in her Own Words 2002
• Of Rites and Rights: An Interview with Asma Jahangir By Anniqua Rana September 23, 2003
• News Report on appointment as Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
• UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
• Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
• Time Magazine profile April 21, 2003
• Interview with Asma Jahangir By Nermeen Shaikh October 27, 2005
• Interview 'If Pakistan Can Take Up Gujarat Riots, Surely India Can Raise The Balochistan Issue' February 6, 2006
• Gulf News: A profile in courage April 2, 2007
• Declan Walsh talks to Asma Jahangir, Pakistan's human rights champion 20 July 2007
• Under House Arrest, Pakistani Human Rights Leader Asma Jahangir Speaks Out on Musharraf’s Crackdown November 14, 2007
• The Last Word: Asma Jahangir 2007
• Human rights lawyer and activist speaks out against Pakistani military dictatorship February 20, 2008
• Katy Clark speaks with Asma Jahangir on 'Violence in Pakistan' October 28, 2009
• Herald exclusive: An interview with Asma Jahangir January 25, 2011

Suzana Ansar
Suzana Ansar with Khansar on stage
Background information
Born	(1978-02-14) 14 February 1978 (age 34) Leyton, London, United Kingdom
Origin	Woodford Green, London, United Kingdom
Genres	Kheyal, Thumri, Nazrul Geeti, Bengali Folk, Hindi, Qawwali, Sufi, Bhajan, Adhunik, Fusion
Occupations	Singer, actress, music teacher
Instruments	Vocals, harmonium, tanpura, sitar, piano
Years active	1998 – present
Labels	G-Series/Agniveena
Associated acts	Syed Ansar, Yamin Chowdhury, Imran Khan
Website	www.suzanaansar.com

Suzana Ansar (born 14 February 1978) is a British singer and actress of Bangladeshi descent.

Background and education[link]

Suzana Ansar was born in Whipps Cross University Hospital, Leyton, East London, United Kingdom to Bangladeshi expatriate parents; community activist (Jenney) Syeda S Karim, and chartered accountant/businessman Mohamed Ansar Uddin. She is one of two children.

Ansar grew up in Woodford Green, receiving private school education at Ilford Ursuline High School, and then Forest School, Walthamstow. She further went on to study Mathematics and Business Finance at University of London and is a part qualified Chartered Certified Accountant.

Growing up in England, her parents encouraged her to connect with both her eastern and western cultures thus taking up harmonium, tanpura, sitar and Bengali and Arabic lessons as well as learning to play the piano.

Her grandparents are from Mymensingh, Brahmanbaria, and Chandpur originally, but are settled in Dhaka, which she calls her second home. Her aunt is current Bangladeshi foreign minister Dr. Dipu Moni MP.

Career[link]

Music[link]

Having trained in Indian classical music from a very young age from gurus (late) Golok Mohon Chowdhury and then Pandit Haridas Ganguly, Ansar sings genres ranging from Kheyal, Nazrul Geeti, Hindi to Bengali Folk and Fusion.^[1]

Having spent her childhood singing traditional Bengali songs, she participated and won several song contests in London. First performing on stage at the age of 5 at a Bengali International event, later in adulthood, she went on to be music teacher at the same organisation and many others. She also has her own music school ‘Suzana Ansar Music School,’ which produces television programmes like Suzana n Kids.

As a teenager Ansar worked with fusion and asian underground music alongside State of Bengal on his debut album Audio Visual released in 1998 with a song co-written by her. She is seen by many as a role model for young British Bengalis growing up abroad by the manner in which she blends both her British and Bengali heritage which has been written about on many occasions including a case study on her in the book, A Tale of Three Generations.^[2]

She has represented the works of revolutionary Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam though her music,^[3] and live shows and continues to create music to increase awareness of him^[4]

In November 2009, Ansar released her solo debut album 'Suzana Ansar with Khansar,' from leading Bangladeshi record label G-Series/Agniveena featuring her band, composed of herself, her brother Syed Shahdin Ansar (Saadi) Tabla player Yamin Chowdhury (Shagor), and Imran Khan.^[5]

She performs regularly billed in concerts across USA, Spain, France, Italy, Bangladesh, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, India, Canada to name a few alongside Bangladeshi superstars Ayub Bachchu, Baby Naznin, Runa Laila, Asif Akbar, Momtaz Begum James Nagar Baul, Habib as well as indian star Sonu Nigam etc.

Television[link]

She is a well known face amongst Bengalis living in Europe through her live shows^[6] television appearances on Bangla TV UK (Poboner Boytha, valentines special, Series Rupban), Channel S (Suzana n Kids, Sur Jolsha), NTV UK (Phoney Phone Gaan), NTV (Bangladesh) (Amaro Gaitey Ichhey Holo, Musik Jamz) ATN Bangla^[7] Boishakhi Special,) Ekushey Television (Ta NA NA NA, Tommy Miah's Recipe), Zee TV (Antakshari 1998).

She is seen on television to both, sing live, and also as a television presenter.

Acting[link]

She has acted in 8 UK produced telefilms in the Sylheti and Bengali dialect like Mayar Taney (UK) Friends 1 and 2 (UK) Projonmo (UK).

She has also recently filmed Bangladesh TV serials Fifty Fifty on Bangla Vision (alongside Mosharaf Karim) and The Graduate on NTV (Jahid Hasan, Tisha, Mostafa Kamal Raj, Siddik). She features in telefilm Life Partner(with Hasan Masood, Joya) and has shot a mini series in Thailand called Borishaila Mama Bhaigna Aite Shaal Jaite Shaal' (alongside Chanchal Chowdhury, Chadni, Dr Ejaz, Tushar Khan) and Colours Of Cambridge (with Mosharaf Karim) for ATN Bangla. 'Dead End- 30 days is her most recently shot drama (alongside Partha Barua, Tania, Jenny) also shot extensively in Thailand

See also[link]

• British Bangladeshi
• List of British Bangladeshis
• Suzana Ansar with Khansar

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Suzana Ansar on Twitter

Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali is a Pakistani politician from an influential landowning Arain family. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Kasur in 1994^[1] and has remained active in political and campaigning theatres. In 2004, he formally joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He opposed Pervez Musharraf's firing of Pakistan's judiciary.^[2] He served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan in the National Government led by the PPP from 1993 to 1996. On 25th December 2011, he joined Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Family background and ethnicity[link]

He hails from a principal Arain family of the Punjab,arain is a big agriculturel caste]]. The family has a reputation of repelling authority and was instrumental in fighting against the Sikhs and later the British. His uncle, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, remained a member of parliament pre- and post-partition and pioneered the advent of the Pakistan Muslim League in Central Punjab. His father, Sardar Ahmad Ali, who also remained a member of parliament throughout his career, and Sardar Muhammad Hussain led regional movements against the Unionist Party, which was patronised by the British. The first mammoth public rally for and on behalf of the Muslim League under Muhammad Ali Jinnah was held near his ancestral village, Ganja Kalan, at Kasur, Punjab. As a result of the partition, the family lost vast tracts of agricultural land near the Satluj River, Kasur. As he belongs to the Arain tribe, his ancestry goes back to a prominent family of the famous Arab tribe Banu Tamim.^[3] The family is considered as the chief family of the influential Arains. They are related to the Mian family of Burj Jeway Khan (near Okara) and the Daula family of Dipalpur.

Education and politics[link]

He studied at Lawrence College in Ghora Gali. He earned a B.A. (Hons.) degree from Government College University, Lahore (1959–62), and a B.A (Hons.) degree from St John's College, Oxford (1963–1966).^[4] Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali was a senior member of the Pakistan Peoples Party. He was the foreign minister of Pakistan in the cabinet of Benazir Bhutto during her second tenure as Prime Minister. Recently he resighned from Pakistan Peoples Party and Join Party of Imran Khan former crickter Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Minister of Economic Affairs[link]

Sardar Aseff also served as the Minister for Economic Affairs during the 1991-1993 Nawaz Sharif government, but resigned from the cabinet after developing differences with the Prime Minister. His resignation along with those of other members of parliament eventually led to overthrow of the first Nawaz Sharif government.^{[citation needed]} While serving as the Economic Affairs Minister, Sardar Aseff led numerous delegations of Pakistani civil society members and organizations to Russia and cultivated business and diplomatic relationships with various disintegrated states of the former Soviet Union. He was awarded honorary citizenship of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Foreign Minister of Pakistan[link]

As Foreign Minister of Pakistan, he was unanimously elected chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

In 2003, he held a painting exhibition at Lahore, where he displayed some of his hand-drawn sketches and paintings, which was attended by then-Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

In the recently held general elections, he was returned to the National Assembly for the fifth time after defeating his archrival, the outgoing foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

External links[link]

• DAWN Hot Seat: Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali