Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah (Urdu,Sindhi: سید خورشید احمد شاہ; born 13 November 1954 is a Pakistani politician and lawyer who has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since February 2024 and previously served in this position from August 2018 till August 2023 and between 1990 and May 2018.

Khurshid Shah
خورشید شاہ
Leader of the Opposition
In office
7 June 2013 – 31 May 2018
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Mamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Preceded byChaudhary Nisar Ali Khan
Succeeded byShehbaz Sharif
Federal Minister For Water Resources
In office
18 April 2022 – 10 August 2023
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs
In office
December 2010 – 2013
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYusuf Raza Gillani
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
Preceded byHamid Saeed Kazmi
Succeeded bySardar Muhammad Yousuf
Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower
In office
31 March 2008 – May 2011
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYusuf Raza Gillani
Federal Minister for Education
In office
1993–1996
PresidentFarooq Leghari
Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto
Succeeded by
Parliamentary positions
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Assumed office
29 February 2024
ConstituencyNA-201 Sukkur-II
In office
13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
ConstituencyNA-206 (Sukkur-I)
In office
17 March 2008 – 31 May 2018
ConstituencyNA-199 (Sukkur-II)
In office
18 November 2002 – 18 November 2007
ConstituencyNA-198 (Sukkur-I)
In office
3 November 1990 – 12 October 1999
ConstituencySukkur
Personal details
Born (1952-04-20) 20 April 1952 (age 72)[1][2]
Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan
Political partyPPP (1990-present)
ChildrenSyed Farukh Ahmed Shah (son)[3]
EducationMA, LLB
Alma materGovernment Islamia Science College Sukkur
ProfessionLawyer,Politician

He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2013 to May 2018. A leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Shah was born in Sukkur and was educated at the Government Islamia Science College Sukkur.

He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2013 to May 2018. A leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Shah was born in Sukkur and was educated at the Government Islamia Science College Sukkur.

Shah began his political career as the member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh in 1988 and had been a member of the provincial cabinet, in various positions. He has been inducted into the federal cabinet thrice between 1993 and 2013. From 2012 to 2013, he also served as the parliament.

On 18 September 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday arrested senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah in a case regarding his alleged assets beyond means.[4] On 21 October 2021, Supreme Court released him on bail.[citation needed]

Early life and education

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Shah was born on 20 April 1952.[2][5][6] He completed his education from Government Islamia Science College, Sukkur. He received his master's degree in History in 1974 and his LLB in 1978, both from Islamia College, Sukkur.[1][2] Shah is a professional lawyer and a businessman.[2]

Political career

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Shah began his political career after becoming a member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh for the first time in 1988 from Sukkur constituency on the Pakistan Peoples Party ticket,[1][2] after which he became member of the provincial cabinet, in various positions. He served as the Minister for Education, Minister for transport, Minister for Import,[1][7] Minister for Finance and Minister for Information.[2][8]

Shah was elected as the member of the National Assembly for the first time in 1990 from Sukkur constituency.[2] Shah was elected as the member of the National Assembly for the second time in 1993 from Sukkur constituency.[2] Shah was inducted into federal cabinet in 1993 and was appointed as a Minister for Education in Benazir Bhutto's second ministry.[1][7][8] Shah was re-elected as the member of the National Assembly for the third time in 1997 from Sukkur constituency.[2][9] Shah was elected as the member of the National Assembly for the fourth time in 2002 from Sukkur constituency.[7][10][11]

In 2012, Shah became chairman of the parliamentary committee on appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan.[12][13] Shah was re-elected as the member of the National Assembly for the fifth time in 2008 from Sukkur constituency.[1][7][11] Shah was inducted into the federal cabinet after the 2008 Pakistani elections and was appointed as a Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis[7][14] from March 2008 to May 2011.[15] Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis was divided into two ministries in 2009, and Shah remained with Minister for Labour and Manpower.[16][17] He was given the additional portfolio of Minister for Religious Affairs, where he served from[7] December 2010 to 2013,[18] both in the Gillani ministry.[1][2][8][19][20] Shah was the parliamentarian leader of PPP in the National Assembly from 2008 to 2013.[1][8]

Shah, along with leaders of other political parties, was tasked with selection on the name for caretaker prime minister of Pakistan prior to the 2013 Pakistan election.[1][21] Shah was re-elected as the member of the National Assembly for the sixth time in 2013 from second Sukkur constituency.[11] Shah was a potential candidate to become Prime Minister of Pakistan after Yousaf Raza Gillani was disqualified from holding the office.[1][8] In June 2013, Shah was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly by PPP.[22][23] Shah is also chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly.[18] Shah is said to have good relations with the leaders of other political parties in Pakistan.[1][8]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PPP from NA-206 (Sukkur-I) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[24] Following his successful election, PPP nominated him for the office of Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.[25] He received 146 votes and lost the election to Asad Qaiser who received 176 votes.[26]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PPP from NA-201 Sukkur-II in the 2024 Pakistani general election. He received 121,566 votes and defeated Muhammad Saleh Indhar, a candidate of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) (JUI(F)).[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah". DAWN.COM. 25 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah". DAWN.COM. 25 June 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. ^ "PTI, PML-N, PPP: All promoted dynastic politics in General Election 2018". Dunya News. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  4. ^ Guramani, Inamullah Khattak | Nadir (18 September 2019). "PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah arrested by NAB". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  5. ^ "If elections are held on time…". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Detail Information". 19 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Khurshid Shah". DAWN.COM. 25 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "PPP's likely candidates for PM post". DAWN.COM. 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  9. ^ "DAWN – Features; September 27, 2002". DAWN.COM. 27 September 2002. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  10. ^ "District Profile: Upper Sindh – Sukkur -DAWN – Herald Election 2008;". Dawn. 16 May 2008. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ a b c "Khurshid Shah wins NA-199 seat from Sukkur". DAWN.COM. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Shah elected head of key NA committee". DAWN.COM. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Khursheed Shah's victory exposes rifts in opposition". DAWN.COM. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  14. ^ "Ministers & portfolios". DAWN.COM. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  15. ^ "SC summons Khurshid in EOBI case". DAWN.COM. 17 June 2016. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Ex-brigadier finds way to stick to post". DAWN.COM. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  17. ^ "Swearing-in today to mark belated birth of cabinet". DAWN.COM. 31 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  18. ^ a b "PPP leader comes under fire over Rs90m phones for Haj pilgrims". DAWN.COM. 29 April 2016. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Gilani sacks Ministers Hamid Kazmi, Azam Swati". DAWN.COM. 14 December 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  20. ^ "Ministers get more portfolios; cabinet expansion put off". DAWN.COM. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Backchannel talks on caretaker set-up". DAWN.COM. 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  22. ^ "PPP's Khursheed Shah declared leader of opposition in NA". DAWN.COM. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Khursheed Shah named as Opposition Leader in NA – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  24. ^ "PPPP's Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah wins NA-206 election". Associated Press Of Pakistan. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  25. ^ Guramani, Nadir (14 August 2018). "Nomination papers for tomorrow's NA speaker, deputy speaker poll accepted". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  26. ^ "PTI's Asad Qaiser sworn in as NA speaker amid opposition ruckus". DAWN.COM. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  27. ^ "Election Commission of Pakistan". ecp.gov.pk. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
2013 –
Incumbent
Preceded by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs
2010–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower
2008–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Federal Minister for Education
1993–1996
Succeeded by