Syed Mustafa Kamal (Urdu: سید مصطفی کمال; born 27 December 1971) is a Pakistani politician and Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since 29 February 2024, and he is founder and chairman of Pak Sarzameen Party. He was previously a senator in the Senate of Pakistan and served as the mayor of Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.[1]

Syed Mustafa Kamal
سید مصطفی کمال
Member of the Senate of Pakistan
In office
12 March 2012 – August 2013
28th Mayor of Karachi
In office
7 October 2005 – 6 October 2010
Preceded byNaimatullah Khan
Succeeded byWaseem Akhtar
Provincial Minister of Sindh for Information Technology
In office
2003–2005
Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
In office
November 2002 – 2005
ConstituencyPS-117 (Karachi-XXIX)
Personal details
Born (1971-12-27) 27 December 1971 (age 52)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Political partyMQM-P (2023-present)
Other political
affiliations
PSP (2016-2023)
MQM-L (2003-2013)
Parent(s)Jamila Khatoon (mother)
Anis Ahmed (father)
ResidenceKarachi
OccupationPolitician

Early life

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Syed Mustafa Kamal was born on 27 December 1971 in Karachi, Pakistan. His parents were Anis Ahmed and Jamila Khatoon who migrated to Pakistan during Partition of India from Delhi. He studied from University of Wales in the United Kingdom. In 1996, Kamal studied at the Sunway College.

Syed Mustafa Kamal is married and has 3 children.

Political career

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Ministry of Information Technology

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In 2003, Kamal was chosen by MQM Leader Saeed Bharam, to be the IT Minister for the Sindh Province. Syed Mustafa Kamal served as the IT Minister for the Sindh province from 2003 to 2005, Afterward Mustufa Kamal was nominated Mayor of Karachi By Altaf Hussain, A landslide win which turned Mustufa kamal from an unknown telephone operator at Ninezero to Mayor of a Metropolitan city Karachi with 25 Million people.

Mayor of Karachi

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Mustafa Kamal taking oath as Mayor of Karachi

On 7 October 2005, Kamal was chosen as the mayor of Karachi[2] by MQM the support MQM Leader Saeed Bharam for his work in the party as a telephone operator. Kamal was one of the most successful mayor of Karachi due to unchallenged Independence, resources and massive political backing of MQM Leader Saeed Bharam who provided him with thousands of workers to make Karachi Mayor-ship successful for MQM.he was named 2nd Best Mayor in the World by Foreign Policy Magazine in 2008 and Finalist in the City Mayors’ Foundation’s World Mayor of the Year Award in 2010.[2]

Senator

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In 2012, he was elected to the Pakistani Senate from Sindh.[3] In August 2013, he left the country, he formally resigned on 21 April 2014 from his seat and cited personal obligations behind his resignation.

Corruption Charges, Inquiry & Differences with MQM and departure

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Kamal left Pakistan after developing differences with |Altaf Hussain, |Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] announced that Syed Mustafa Kamal submitted his resignation from Senate seat and left Pakistan due to personal and family reasons. Later in Dubai Mustafa Kamal join Malik Riaz's Bahria Town and started managing Bahria Town's construction business from Dubai. In Dubai due to his difference with the party. He formed PSP with Anis Qaimkhani.[4] He after leaving the political party, joined Malik Riaz’s company Bahria Town.[5]

Comeback and formation of Pak Sarzameen Party

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After leaving Pakistan in August 2013, he returned from Dubai to Karachi, Pakistan on 3 March 2016, accompanying Anis Kaimkhani and holding a press conference in a rented house in Karachi's posh area at Khayaban e Sahar in Defence Phase 6 Karachi on the same day at 3:00 PM.

In his famous press conference, Mustafa Kamal opened up about his lifelong personal experiences as a prominent member of Muttahida Qaumi Movement and what made him leave the country even when he was serving as a senator at the time. He discussed several controversies surrounding MQM, the leader Altaf Hussain and his behaviour towards the party members.

On 23 March 2016, In the conference, Kamal also disclosed the vision of a new party he is laying foundations of, the name of which is not decided yet. According to him, "Today we are laying the foundation of an organisation, you may call it a party. We are just two individuals, myself and Anees Kaimkhani." Kamal announced the name of party as Pak Sarzameen Party.[6][7] He also revealed the flag of his party which turned out to be the Flag of Pakistan. He told that the PSP has a flag is not for public. In his support several individual have contacted and showed support and also few more members from MQM joined Mustafa Kamal's team. According to Anees Kaimkhani they will continue to welcome people. Mustafa Kamal disclosed that they will organize a public speech at Bagh-e-Jinnah near Mazar-e-Quaid Karachi.[8][9][10][11] Many people of MQM left it and joined PSP.[12] On 12 January 2023, the Pak Sarzameen Party was dissolved and merged into Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan.[13]

Controversies and cases

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China-Cutting Case

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The Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) registered an FIR against Kamal, Saeed bharam and 24 other PSP workers. ACE said that Kamal and 24 others were involved in illegal allotment of 82 acres of amenity land in Mehmoodabad in 2009.[14] The inquiry of ACE was revealed in November 2017 which told that Kamal allotted state land by embezzling his powers. The ACE then questioned Kamal and then Kamal stated that he had allotted in good intentions around 49 acres to the affectees of Lines Area project and the present government could cancel the allotment. Kamal made it clear he had no links with the China-Cutting Case and he was not responsible for what happened in the case.[15][16]

Illegal Allotment Case

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National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference against Mustafa Kamal pertaining to the alleged illegal allotment of state-owned lands in Clifton, Block 3, near Sea View. According to the NAB's references, The land was allotted to hawkers and shopkeepers in 1980 which was later got by DG Builders on lease in 2005.[17][18][19][20][21]

Electoral history

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General elections 2002

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Syed Mustafa Kamal contested for the Provincial Assembly of Sindh seat PS-117. Kamal got 37,671 votes and won his seat in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh.[citation needed]

General elections 2018

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Kamal contested the 2018 Pakistan General Election for National Assembly and two Provincial Assemblies however; he failed to make it despite his claim to win the seat.[22] People thought that PSP had ended but Kamal didn't give up hope and he still made a speech after elections saying PSP hasn't ended.[23] Later on in an interview Kamal told the process of the elections and how they were not fair.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Mr Syed Mustafa Kamal's Biography". The "I Own Karachi" Campaign website. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011.
  2. ^ a b Team, Meridian International Center. "Syed Mustafa Kamal | Meridian International Center". meridian.org. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Senate of Pakistan". www.senate.gov.pk.
  4. ^ "Senator Mustafa Kamal has moved abroad because of personal and domestic reasons: Rabta Committee". www.mqm.org.
  5. ^ Desk, Web (5 August 2015). "Mustafa Kamal ready to reveal important things about Altaf Hussain". {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ "Kamal & Co announce 'Pak Sarzameen Party'". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Mustafa Kamal names new political movement 'Pak Sarzameen Party' - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  8. ^ 1JTT6SiRas4 Mustafa Kamal Full Press Conference 3 March 2016 on YouTube
  9. ^ Dawn.com (3 March 2016). "Mustafa Kamal decimates MQM chief Altaf, announces new political party". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Mustafa Kamal launches no-holds-barred tirade against MQM chief - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Mustafa Kamal lashes out at Altaf, announces new party". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Pak Sarzameen Party welcomes new entrants". Daily Times. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  13. ^ "MM News". 27 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Mustafa Kamal to record statement in China cutting case on Sept 26 | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Mustafa Kamal reaches anti corruption office in illegal land allotment case". ARYNEWS. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Rs9 bn corruption case: Anti-graft body recommends FIR against Mustafa Kamal, others". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  17. ^ Tribune.com.pk (29 June 2019). "Illegal land allotment case: NAB files reference against Mustafa Kamal". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  18. ^ "NAB files reference against Mustafa Kamal in illegal land allotment case | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  19. ^ Baloch, Shafi (22 June 2019). "NAB files reference against Mustafa Kamal in case pertaining to illegal allotment of land". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  20. ^ "NAB files reference against Mustafa Kamal in illegal land allotment case". Daily Pakistan Global. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  21. ^ "'Illegal allotment of land', NAB files reference against Mustafa Kamal". Future Tv. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  22. ^ "Mustafa Kamal's 'dolphin' fails to swim in Sindh". www.geo.tv.
  23. ^ SAMAA TV, Mustafa Kamal 1st Speech after losing election | SAMAA TV | 29 July 2018, retrieved 5 December 2018
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  Media related to Mustafa Kamal at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
Naimatullah Khan
Mayors of Karachi Succeeded by
Post abolished;