Ali Muhammad Khan

Ali Muhammad Khan is a Pakistani politician and lawyer representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. He currently serves as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) following his election in February 2024. Khan has held significant roles within the federal government and remains an active figure in Mardan politics.

Early life and education

Khan was born on 30 November 1979 into a Pashtun family in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His lineage is rooted in political activism through his grandfather, Khan Pir Muhammad Khan. This elder relative was an activist for the Pakistan Movement who maintained closeness to Muhammad Ali Jinnah. In 1940, he led caravans from Mardan to attend the Lahore Resolution and later served as a federal minister on 2 occasions.

Khan pursued professional studies in both law and engineering. He earned his LLB degree from Universal College Islamabad (UCI) after receiving guidance from Barrister Masroor Shah. He is also a civil engineer by profession. His academic background includes affiliations with the University of London, the University of Peshawar and the Engineering & Tech University KPK.

Career

The political career of Khan began in earnest during the 2013 Pakistani general election. He ran as a PTI candidate for constituency NA-10 (Mardan-II) and secured 46,531 votes. This victory allowed him to defeat a candidate from the JUI-F party. He returned to the National Assembly in the 2018 general election representing constituency NA-22 (Mardan-III). During that contest, he received 58,577 votes to defeat Moulana Mohammad Qasim.

On 17 September 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan inducted him into the federal cabinet. He served as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs until 10 April 2022. During his tenure, he presented a controversial resolution to the National Assembly regarding the public hanging of child rapists and abusers. While the resolution passed, it faced criticism from Amnesty International and opposition lawmakers. Some government politicians—including Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari—opposed the measure.

Khan has faced various legal challenges throughout his political life. In 2014, a police case was registered against him after he reportedly stormed a police station and caused injuries to 3 policemen. He also faced scrutiny in 2017 for statements regarding secularism in Pakistan. Following the 2023 protests, authorities arrested him under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law. After being re-arrested 8 different times and spending 78 days in jail, the Peshawar High Court intervened to grant him bail on 27 July 2023.

In the 2024 Pakistani general election, Khan won his third term in the National Assembly. He ran as a PTI-backed Independent candidate for NA-23 Mardan-III. He secured a decisive victory with 102,188 votes, significantly outperforming the runner-up, Ahmad Khan of ANP, who received 32,655 votes. As an MNA, he continues to criticize the Shehbaz Sharif government regarding the treatment of PTI members.

Personal life

Khan is a resident of the Mardan District. He maintains an active presence on social media through his Twitter account @Ali_MuhammadPTI. He remains deeply involved in local party structures, serving as the District President for PTI Mardan and as a member of the PTI Core Committee.