Whois Asif Ali Zardari?

Asif Ali Zardari

Asif Ali Zardari  born 26 July 1955 is a Pakistani politician. Who is the president of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and was the co chairperson of Pakistan People's Party. He served as the 11th president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 the first president born after Independence. He is the widower of twice-elected former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto. He has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since August 2018.

The son of Hakim Ali Zardari a landowner from Sindh Zardari rose to prominence after his marriage to Benazir Bhutto in 1987 who became the Prime Minister of Pakistan after her election in 1988. When Bhutto's government was dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 Zardari was widely criticized for involvement in corruption scandals that led to its collapse. When Bhutto was reelected in 1993 Zardari served as Federal Investment Minister and Chairperson of Pakistan Environmental Protection Council. Following increasing tensions between Bhutto's brother Murtaza and Zardari, Murtaza was killed by police in Karachi on 20 September 1996. Bhutto's government was dismissed a month later by President Farooq Leghari, while Zardari was arrested and indicted for Murtaza's murder as well as corruption charges.

 Although incarcerated he nominally served in Parliament after being elected to the National Assembly in 1990 and Senate in 1997. He was released from jail in 2004 and went into self exile to Dubai. But returned when Bhutto was assassinated on 27 December 2007. As the new co chairman of the PPP. He led his party to victory in the 2008 general elections. He spearheaded a coalition that forced military ruler Pervez Musharraf to resign and was elected president on 6 September 2008. He was acquitted of various criminal charges the same year.

As president Zardari remained a strong American ally in the war in Afghanistan despite prevalent public disapproval of the United States following the Raymond Davis incident and the NATO attack in Salala in 2011. Domestically, Zardari achieved the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment in 2010. Which constitutionally reduced his presidential powers. His attempt to prevent the reinstatement of Supreme Court judges failed in the face of massive protests led by his political rival Nawaz Sharif. The restored Supreme Court dismissed the PPP's elected Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani for contempt in 2012 after Gillani refused to write to the Government of Switzerland to reopen corruption cases against Zardari. Zardari's tenure was also criticised for mishandling nationwide floods in 2010 and growing terrorist violence. Following multiple bombings of Hazaras in Quetta in early 2013 Zardari dismissed his provincial government in Balochistan.Towards the end of his term Zardari recorded abysmally low approval ratings ranging from 11 to 14%. After the PPP was heavily defeated in the 2013 general election Zardari became the country's first elected president to complete his constitutional term on 9 September 2013. His legacy remains divisive with political observers accusing his administration of corruption and cronyism.

Early life and education

Zardari was born on 26 July 1955 in Karachi Sindh in the Zardari family. He is of Baloch origin belonging to the Sindhi-speaking Zardari tribe. He is the only son of Hakim Ali Zardari a tribal chief and prominent landowner, and Bilquis Sultana Zardari.His paternal grandmother was of Iraqi descent. While his mother was the granddaughter of Hassan Ali Effendi a Sindhi educationist who is known as the founder of the Sindh Madressatul Islam.

In his youth, he enjoyed polo and boxing. He led a polo team known as the Zardari Four. His father owned Bambino a famous cinema in Karachi and donated movie equipment to his school. He also appeared in a 1969 movie Salgira as a child. Zardari's academic background remains a question mark. He received his primary education from Karachi Grammar School. His official biography says he graduated from Cadet College, Petaro in 1972.He went to St Patrick's High School, Karachi from 1973 to 1974 a school clerk says he failed his final examination there. In March 2008. He claimed he had graduated from the London School of Business Studies with a bachelor of education degree in the early 1970.Zardari's official biography states he also attended Pedinton School in Britain. His British education however  has not been confirmed  and a search did not turn up any Pedinton School in London.The issue of his diploma was contentious because a 2002 rule required candidates for Parliament to hold a college degree. But the rule was overturned by Pakistan's Supreme Court in April 2008.

Career

Zardari's initial political career was unsuccessful. In 1983. He lost an election for a district council seat in Nawabshah a city of Sindh where his family owned thousands of acres of farmland. He then went into real estate.

He married Benazir Bhutto on 18 December 1987. The arranged marriage done in accordance with Pakistani culture was initially considered an unlikely match. The lavish sunset ceremony in Karachi was followed by immense night celebrations that included over 100,000 people. The marriage enhanced Bhutto's political position in a country where older unmarried women are frowned upon. Zardari deferred to his wife's wishes by agreeing to stay out of politics.

In 1988 general Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq died in a plane crash. A few months later Bhutto became Pakistan's first female Prime Minister when her party won 94 of 207 seats contested in the 1988 elections.