Profile: Shahabuddin’s journey
Despite his background as a student of law, Makhdoom Shahabuddin has made a name for himself primarily as a politician and agriculturalist – his portfolios at various times throughout his career include the treasury, planning and development, health and textiles.
He hails from Mianwali Qureshian, an important political centre in Rahim Yar Khan and is known to be more interested in finding jobs for the unemployed rather than the development of the region – he is responsible for the employment of hundreds during the time Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has remained in power.
He is the Sajjada Nasheen of the Darga Sharif Makhdoom Hameeduddin Hakim in the Meo Mubarak village.
Shahabuddin matriculated from Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur, spending his first intermediate year at Government College Rahim Yar Khan before migrating to FC College Lahore. His close ties to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are on account of their time spent studying with him in FC College. After his graduation, Shahabuddin studied law at Punjab Law College Lahore.
While Shahabuddin’s political career started with the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), he largely witnessed success as part of PPP.
He contested his first election from NA 148 in 1988 with the PML ticket, losing to his uncle contesting the constituency with a PPP ticket. Contesting the same constituency in 1990 with the PPP ticket, Shahabuddin defeated his cousin and was elected as a member of the National Assembly. In 1993, he won the constituency’s seat again, defeating his uncle Makhdoom Ruknuddin, and served as the treasury minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government subsequently. Shahabuddin was elected as the chairman of the Southern Peoples Party, when President Asif Ali Zardari, as acting PPP chairman, established a separate chapter for southern Punjab. He is also part of PPP’s central executive committee.
Before Yousaf Raza Gilani’s disqualification as premier, Shahabuddin was part of his Cabinet as textiles minister.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2012.
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COMMENTS (13)
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After his nomination within hours his arrest warrants were issued. Seems he is the right choice.
Everyone including Shahabuddin knows that Shahabuddins journey will end very soon just like Gilanis journey ended. If shahabuddin wants his journey to continue almost eternally, he should have been in the army and not in PPP.
Poor profile to be a grade 18 officer.
Is there any politician left with good moral??? I am not asking exceptional qualities..
Ashraf Pervaiz's background please... he would be more useless than a backup generator!
This person is being offered new job not because of his performance but because of his loyalty with his party. So, please do not expect any miracle from this guy. We, the poor masses of this country, would suffer from lawlessness, inflation, power load shedding etc. as usual.
He was the best choice under current circumstances. Very Impressive move from PPP by selecting PM again from southern Punjab. Hopefully we will see Saraiki province soon.
Exactly the kind of profile the President would have liked!
Not impressed
Can we go back to Gillani please. this one looks even more frightful. Totally agreeing with gp65 and T Khan, I, belonging to the Textile sector, have lost my job. If this is what he did to the Textile sector, wonder what he will do to Pakistan? No prizes for guessing.
So will he issue the letter to Swiss Authorities against Zardari or not ? Otherwise, he will be out of a job in a couple of months. Precedent has been set.
That is quite a portfolio. He does not believe in development, rather sifarshi noukri. He has been the minister in whose term the textile industry...the most successful one in the country came to its knees and literally got annihilated. And he is a close ally of the president. God help Pakistan.
Great qualification for the top job.