Asad Qaiser

Asad Qaiser is a Pakistani politician from Swabi who has held significant legislative roles at both provincial and national levels. He serves as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan following his election in February 2024.

Early life and education

Qaiser was born on 15 November 1969 to Sardar Bahadur in the Swabi District. While he is recorded as being born in Swabi, The Express Tribune reported that his birth occurred in Marghuz on 15 November 1968. He is the eldest of six siblings, which includes two sisters and three brothers—one of whom is the politician Aqibullah Khan.

His early schooling took place at the Government Higher Secondary School in Marghuz. After completing his initial studies, he attended the Government Post Graduate College in Swabi where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his time as a student, he was an active athlete who played both field hockey and volleyball.

In 1995, he transitioned into political leadership by becoming the divisional president of Pasban, which is the youth wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.

Career

Qaiser began his formal political involvement in 1984 when he was elected Nazim of Kotha College Swabi. He served in this capacity for two years as a candidate for Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. Following the formation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 1996, he joined the party and was nominated as its district president during that same year.

His early attempts to enter the National Assembly were unsuccessful. In the 1997 general election, he contested the NA-9 Swabi seat but received only 4,113 votes against Haji Rehmanullah of the Awami National Party. He faced another defeat in the 2002 general election for the NA-13 Swabi-II seat, where he secured 766 votes behind Khalil Ahmad of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.

Success arrived during the 2013 Pakistani general election. He won the NA-13 (Swabi-II) seat with 48,576 votes and defeated Attaul Haq of the JUI-F. During these same elections, he also secured a seat in the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from constituency PK-35, receiving 14,165 votes to defeat Sajjad Ahmad. Although he won both, he chose to vacate his provincial seat to serve in the National Assembly.

On 30 May 2013, he was elected unopposed as the 14th Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. He held this provincial leadership position until his tenure ended in 2018.

The 2018 general election saw Qaiser win two different seats. He secured the PK-44 (Swabi-II) provincial seat with 31,658 votes and the NA-18 (Swabi-I) national seat with 78,970 votes. He subsequently abandoned his provincial seat to focus on his role in the National Assembly. On 15 August 2018, he was elected Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan after receiving 176 votes against 146 votes cast for Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah. He remained in this high office until 9 April 2022, when he resigned prior to a vote of no confidence regarding Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In the 2024 general election, Qaiser returned to the National Assembly as a candidate for PTI from constituency NA-19 Swabi-I. He won the seat with 115,635 votes, defeating the runner-up Maulana Fazal Ali of the JUI-F, who received 45,567 votes. As an MNA, he has voiced concerns regarding the rise of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and criticized the government's tactics regarding the 26th constitutional amendment.

Personal life

Qaiser is married and has a family consisting of two sons and two daughters. He is also an educationist who founded the Quaid-e-Azam Public School in Zaida, located within the Swabi District. This institution is currently recognized as one of the premier schools in the local area.

Regarding his health, he tested positive for COVID-19 on 30 April 2020 during the pandemic in Pakistan.