Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq was killed, ending more than a decade of military rule. Our deepest condolence and prayers are forward to the family of the deceased. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family {{familyColorButtonText(colorFamily.name)}} He is the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who twice served as Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is member of National Assembly of Pakistan since August 2018. In 2011 controversy erupted over the extrajudicial killing of Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab, for his criticism of a blasphemy law implemented decades before under Zia-ul-Haq. Asif Ali Zardari (Urdu, Sindhi: آصف علی زرداری) (born 21 July 1956) is the president-elect of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Updates? The United States had expanded its use of drone strikes in Pakistan to target Pashtun militants who were waging a guerrilla campaign against international forces and the Afghan government in the Afghanistan War. Asif Ali Zardari is a Pakistani politician and the former co-chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party. Former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari is being questioned over a multi-million dollar money-laundering case. Arnold E. Schneider Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Western Michigan University. Zardari was born on 26 July 1955 in Karachi, Sindh in the Zardari family. Broadsheet CEO Kaveh Mousavi accused on Saturday former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari of trying to bribe him. Asif Ali Zardari - Find Asif Ali Zardari latest News Headlines and breaking news today along with Photos and Videos at HindustanTimes.com. Browse 4,362 asif ali zardari stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Indeed, in December 2009 the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the 2007 amnesty protecting politicians accused of corruption. Opposition parties have also warned of countrywide protests against the Khan government and the military next month. Asif Ali Zardari, (born July 26, 1955, Karachi, Pakistan), politician who served as president of Pakistan (2008–13) and de facto leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) following the assassination of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, on December 27, 2007. ISLAMABAD: PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari have not been invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of … Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Critics say the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan is targeting the opposition in the guise of accountability. Larkana [Pakistan], December 27 (ANI): Targeting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, former President Asif Ali Zardari has said that running a country is not the same as managing a cricket team. Asif Ali Zardari was born on July 25, 1955 in Karachi, to a prominent Baloch family from Nawabshah, Sindh. It came after a high court rejected extending pre-arrest bail for him and his sister. September 6, 2008 - Is elected president of Pakistan. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Asif-Ali-Zardari, Global Security - Biography of Asif Zardari. Asif Ali Zardari Obituary. He was never convicted and has maintained his innocence, but allegations of corruption have followed him in his political career. Asif Ali Zardari leaving a courthouse in Islamabad, Pakistan, last year. Shortly after his return in late 2016, he announced his intention to contest the 2018 legislative elections, after which he entered the National Assembly as one of the leaders of the opposition. She was born on 25th January; 1990 becoming the first child born to a sitting female Prime Minister. The toll exacted on Zardari’s health by his imprisonment was considerable. Friction between the two rivals intensified further in early 2009, when the Supreme Court voted to disqualify Sharif’s brother from his position as chief minister of the Punjab and to uphold a ban prohibiting Sharif himself from holding political office (the ban stemmed from his 2000 hijacking conviction). Asif Ali Zardari is a Pakistani political figure and present co-executive of Pakistan People’s Party. His presidency saw significant controversy but was the first to see out a … Here’s the photo she shared with her followers: View this post on Instagram. December 2007 - Following his wife's death, Zardari and his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, are named co-chairs of the Pakistan People's Party. Conflict within the coalition continued to escalate following Musharraf’s departure. Ex-President of Pakistan Is Indicted on Money Laundering Charges. He served as president from 2008 to 2013, and is currently a member of Parliament. In 1990 her tenure was cut short by corruption-related scandal, however, and both Zardari and his wife were the focus of attacks from opposition politicians as well as disgruntled members of the PPP, Bhutto’s own party. The former president starred in … Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, another senior Pakistan Peoples Party figure, said in an interview that the indictment was a routine process in court proceedings and that the real issue was a lack of evidence. Zardari also faced daunting domestic issues. The charges against Mr. Zardari are related to money laundering through suspicious bank accounts and companies. The Murtaza-Zardari rivalry ended abruptly on September 20, 1996, when Murtaza was shot and killed by police. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? Ms. During the campaign, Zardari pledged to restore Chief Justice Chaudhry within 30 days of his party forming a government, but once elected, he did not restore Chaudhry to his post or reinstate the pre-emergency constitution. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Asif Ali Zardari, the former president of Pakistan, has been arrested in Islamabad over a money laundering case. Mr. Zardari, 63, … Arrested on kidnapping and extortion charges, Zardari was imprisoned in 1990, and, following his release in 1993, corruption allegations against him multiplied (some labeled him “Mr. Zardari continued to play a key role in the PPP in the years after his presidency. The case against Asif Ali Zardari, widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is the latest in a string of moves against opposition figures that his supporters say are politically motivated. “There is no evidence against Mr. Zardari.”, “He has spent several years in jail on trumped-up charges,” Mr. Ahmed added. “Where is the evidence?” he said. But critics say that Mr. Khan’s government, in collusion with Pakistan’s powerful military, is targeting the opposition in the guise of accountability. Mr. Zardari received his secondary education at Cadet College Petaro. 2020 Father’s Day ️ #virtual #family. Zardari was among the thousands of people affected by the ruling, which essentially reactivated cases against them. Ten Percent,” alleging he took kickbacks on large government contracts during Bhutto’s tenure in office). He left the country in 2015, however, amid tensions with the security establishment. In light of ongoing differences, including disputes... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. ISLAMABAD: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday indicted former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Park Lane and Thatta Water Supply cases. Asif Ali Zardari accused of laundering vast sums through suspect accounts and firms Published: 10 Jun 2019 . It was a screenshot of a video conferencing call she had with her family- Asifa Bhutto, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Asif Ali Zardari. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Zardari, 63, the co … But for us the biggest concern is his ailing health.”. The case against Asif Ali Zardari, widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is the latest in a string of moves against opposition figures that his supporters say are politically motivated. He returned to Pakistan with Bhutto’s resumption of political activity in 2007 and was given amnesty for his alleged offenses. Along with Zardari, 172 other people have been placed in the ECL including Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur and son Bilawal Zardari. Asif Ali Zardari, president of Pakistan (2008–13) and de facto leader of the Pakistan People’s Party since 2007. Zardari’s term was marked by increased U.S. involvement in Pakistan. She said the arrest was politically motivated. Mr. Zardari and his sister denied the charges. Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Former President Asif Ali Zardari have been invited by the US President-elect Joe Biden to … When asked by court reporters for his comments on Monday’s indictment, Mr. Zardari replied with a verse in Urdu: “We have passed through such junctures earlier also.”. “But we are not bothered by such tactics.”. Zardari was implicated in Murtaza’s death, and, following the second dissolution of Bhutto’s government in November 1996, he was arrested on charges that included corruption, money laundering, and murder. Marriyum Aurangzeb, spokeswoman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said on Monday that, “Shehbaz Sharif was arrested on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan.”. In 2011 the United States located and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad not far from Pakistan’s premier military academy, striking a blow to Pakistan’s image internationally for its failure to capture the al-Qaeda leader. Former president Asif Ali Zardari had performed in a Pakistani movie in his childhood days, Geo News reported on Saturday. Faced with the prospect of a Sharif-led protest in the capital, in March 2009 the government agreed to reinstate Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and a number of other Supreme Court judges who had not yet been returned to their posts (Sharif’s brother was also returned to his position shortly thereafter). Author of. In March the two parties formed a coalition government. On December 18, 1987, the two were married in an arranged and relatively simple ceremony, and they went on to have three children: a son, Bilawal, and two daughters, Bakhtwar and Asifa. According to Bilawal House spokesperson, the President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari was shifted to hospital after feeling unwell late Sunday evening. Zardari served as a member of the National Assembly from 1990 to 1993—during which time he was periodically released from prison to attend sessions—and from 1993 to 1996. Meanwhile, the status of the Supreme Court judges dismissed under Musharraf who had yet to be reinstated—one of the issues that had undermined the Sharif-Zardari coalition—remained another major source of contention. KARACHI: Former President Asif Ali Zardari has been discharged from hospital on Thursday night, ARY News reported, citing sources. Larkana [Pakistan], December 27 (ANI): Targeting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, former President Asif Ali Zardari has said that running a country is … Low approval ratings led to the PPP losing legislative elections in 2013, and Zardari declined to run for a second term as president as a result. Still, he became the first president in Pakistan’s history to serve a full term. Ali Obituary is yet to be learnt by us, We are yet to confirm the deceased obituary. Mr. Sharif is the younger brother of the ousted prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, who is in London for medical treatment. He further pursued his education in London where he studied Business. A similar situation developed in October 2019 when former president Asif Ali Zardari was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi after his health deteriorated. FILE - In this June 10, 2019 file photo, former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari leaves the High Court building, in Islamabad, Pakistan. The former president has remained active in politics, and his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is the chairman of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party. Mr. Ahmed said that the government had been increasing the pressure on opposition parties since Sept. 20, after a meeting of opposition groups that have called for, among other things, an end to military interference in the Pakistan’s politics. Pervez Musharraf. The move was seen as a political victory for Sharif and a significant concession on the part of Zardari, who is thought to have opposed Chaudhry’s return because of the possibility that the amnesty Zardari had enjoyed under Musharraf might be overturned. Zardari aggressively sought control of the PPP, but he was the subject of ever-increasing criticism from opponents within and outside the party. Also on Monday, anticorruption officials arrested the leader of the opposition in Parliament, Shehbaz Sharif, president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, after a high court rejected his bail plea in a money laundering case in the eastern city of Lahore. December 2013. He was arrested in June 2019 by anticorruption officials in a separate money laundering case and released on bail on medical grounds in December. DeadDeath will upload this post with the obituary details as soon as released. Zardari—the son of Hakim Ali Zardari, a Sindhi landlord, businessman, and politician—was educated at Saint Patrick’s School in Karachi and later studied business in London. He was married to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 1987 who was Prime Minister of Pakistan twice (1988-90 and 1993-96). “These court cases are the usual tactics to intimidate and threaten the political leadership,” Mr. Ahmed said. Asif Ali Zardari (Urdu, Sindhi: آصف علی زرداری) (born 26 July 1955) was the 11th President of Pakistan, serving from 2008-2013.Zardari, who is co-chairman of the PPP and serves the party with his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, assumed office on September 9, 2008.He is also the widower of assasinated Pakistani former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. On September 6, 2008, Asif Ali Zardari, the candidate for the Pakistani Peoples Party, was elected president. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He is also facing a raft of court cases. Zardari easily won the September 2008 presidential elections. Mr. Khan, who won the 2018 election on a strong anticorruption platform, denies the accusation. He served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013, the first president born after Partition. He gained a reputation as a playboy and gadfly for his easygoing lifestyle; an avid polo player and an intense competitor, Zardari demonstrated little interest in the political scene. Sharif alleged that the court’s rulings were politically motivated and backed by Zardari. The former president starred in … Before becoming president in 2008, Mr. Zardari spent 11 years in jail on corruption and murder charges. He and other opposition politicians have accused the Khan government of political victimization. To avoid further public embarrassment, Musharraf resigned his office. Sharif and Zardari were not reconciled, however, and their sustained feuding ultimately caused Sharif to withdraw his party from the coalition. Former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrested on corruption charges By Sophia Saifi and Bianca Britton , CNN Updated 3:07 PM EDT, Mon June 10, 2019 During the court hearing on Monday, a sister of Mr. Zardari, Faryal Talpur, and 13 other people were also indicted. Following Bhutto’s death in December 2007, Zardari named his son, Bilawal, chairman of the PPP and made himself the party’s cochairman. Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar imposed a ban on sales and purchase of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and owner of Omni Group Properties Anwar Majeed after citing the JIT report. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Although never convicted, Zardari was imprisoned from 1997 to 2004; he was elected to the Senate from his jail cell during this time. Pakistan ex-president Zardari held on money-laundering charges. The couple had been married less than a year when Pres. Bhutto’s subsequent success at the polls ushered her into office as prime minister. An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday indicted former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Park Lane and Thatta Water Supply cases. He functioned as the eleventh President of Pakistan from the year 2008 till 2013. 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