Profile: Shah Mehmood Qureshi, from PML, to PPP to PTI
A brief profile of Shah Mehmood Qureshi's political career.
Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi finally announced his allegiance to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at a massive rally in Ghotki on Sunday.
Qureshi’s political career has seen major shifts, jumping from different Pakistan Muslim League (PML) factions to the Pakistan Peoples Party and now the PTI.
His home constituency is Multan NA-148, which he shares with PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi. He received his early education from Aitchison College and went on to receive his Bachelor’s degree in History from Forman Christian College and a then a Law degree from Cambridge University.
His father, Sajjad Hussain Qureshi, was a prominent politician and a member of the PPP during the 1970s. The senior Qureshi supported the presidency of General Ziaul Haq after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s hanging and later served as the Governor of Punjab from December 1985 to December 1988.
Timeline of Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s political career
1985: Qureshi was first elected to the Punjab Assembly from Multan in elections that were held on a non-party basis.
1986: Qureshi joins the reformed Pakistan Muslim League (PML), which had brought together a number of Muslim League factions under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Junejo during General Ziaul Haq’s Government.
1988: Joins the Nawaz Sharif led PML faction, which had split from the original PML after Zia’s death in the same year.
During this time, Qureshi was reelected to the Punjab assembly from Multan and served as the Minister of Planning & Development in the cabinet of the then Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif. Qureshi served as minister from November 1988 to August 1990.
1990: Qureshi parts ways with Sharif and joins the re-formed Manzoor Wattoo led Pakistan Muslim League – Junejo (PML-J). He was once again elected to the Punjab Assembly from Multan.
Qureshi served as Finance Minister in the cabinet of Chief Minister Manzoor Wattoo from 1990 to 1993.
1993: Shah Mahmood Qureshi once again shifted allegiances and this time joined Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Qureshi was elected to the National Assembly from Multan and served as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
November, 1996: Appoint PPP spokesperson.
1997: PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi defeats Qureshi in the general elections.
2000-2002: Qureshi served as the District Nazim of Multan.
2002: Shah Mahmood Qureshi contested the 2002 elections as a member of the PPP and defeated Makhdoom Javed Hashmi to win the Multan National Assembly seat.
2006: Benazir Bhutto appoints Qureshi President of PPP Punjab.
2008: Once again wins the National Assembly seat from Multan and is appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.
February, 2011: Qureshi is dropped from the federal cabinet as Foreign Minister in the aftermath of the Raymond Davis Affair. Many believe it was Qureshi’s stand on the diplomatic immunity for Davis that led to him being dropped from the cabinet.
November 15, 2011: Qureshi resigns from the National Assembly and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
November 27, 2011: Qureshi announces joining the Imran Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at a rally in Ghotki.
Qureshi’s political career has seen major shifts, jumping from different Pakistan Muslim League (PML) factions to the Pakistan Peoples Party and now the PTI.
His home constituency is Multan NA-148, which he shares with PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi. He received his early education from Aitchison College and went on to receive his Bachelor’s degree in History from Forman Christian College and a then a Law degree from Cambridge University.
His father, Sajjad Hussain Qureshi, was a prominent politician and a member of the PPP during the 1970s. The senior Qureshi supported the presidency of General Ziaul Haq after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s hanging and later served as the Governor of Punjab from December 1985 to December 1988.
Timeline of Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s political career
1985: Qureshi was first elected to the Punjab Assembly from Multan in elections that were held on a non-party basis.
1986: Qureshi joins the reformed Pakistan Muslim League (PML), which had brought together a number of Muslim League factions under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Junejo during General Ziaul Haq’s Government.
1988: Joins the Nawaz Sharif led PML faction, which had split from the original PML after Zia’s death in the same year.
During this time, Qureshi was reelected to the Punjab assembly from Multan and served as the Minister of Planning & Development in the cabinet of the then Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif. Qureshi served as minister from November 1988 to August 1990.
1990: Qureshi parts ways with Sharif and joins the re-formed Manzoor Wattoo led Pakistan Muslim League – Junejo (PML-J). He was once again elected to the Punjab Assembly from Multan.
Qureshi served as Finance Minister in the cabinet of Chief Minister Manzoor Wattoo from 1990 to 1993.
1993: Shah Mahmood Qureshi once again shifted allegiances and this time joined Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Qureshi was elected to the National Assembly from Multan and served as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
November, 1996: Appoint PPP spokesperson.
1997: PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi defeats Qureshi in the general elections.
2000-2002: Qureshi served as the District Nazim of Multan.
2002: Shah Mahmood Qureshi contested the 2002 elections as a member of the PPP and defeated Makhdoom Javed Hashmi to win the Multan National Assembly seat.
2006: Benazir Bhutto appoints Qureshi President of PPP Punjab.
2008: Once again wins the National Assembly seat from Multan and is appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.
February, 2011: Qureshi is dropped from the federal cabinet as Foreign Minister in the aftermath of the Raymond Davis Affair. Many believe it was Qureshi’s stand on the diplomatic immunity for Davis that led to him being dropped from the cabinet.
November 15, 2011: Qureshi resigns from the National Assembly and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
November 27, 2011: Qureshi announces joining the Imran Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at a rally in Ghotki.