Asif Ali Zardari

Asif Ali Zardari is a Pakistani politician who serves as the 14th president of Pakistan. He is a member of the Pakistan People's Party and currently holds office following a coalition agreement reached after the 2024 general election. Previously, he served as the 11th executive president from 2008 to 2013.

Early life and education

Zardari was born on 26 July 1955 in Karachi to Hakim Ali Zardari and Bilquis Sultana Zardari. His father was a prominent landowner and the chief of the Baloch Zardari tribe. The family holds significant roots, as his paternal grandmother was of Iraqi descent. His mother was the granddaughter of Hassan Ali Effendi, a Turkish-rooted Sindhi educationist who founded the Sindh Madressatul Islam.

During his youth, he practiced boxing and led a polo team called the Zardari Four. He even appeared as a child in the 1969 movie Salgira. His primary education took place at Karachi Grammar School. While his official biography claims he graduated from Cadet College, Petaro in 1972, some details remain disputed. A school clerk reported that he failed his final examination at St Patrick's High School between 1973 and 1974. In 2008, Zardari claimed to have earned a bachelor of education degree from the London School of Business Studies, though his attendance at Pedinton School in Britain has not been confirmed.

Career

His initial political attempts were unsuccessful, as he lost a 1983 election for a district council seat in Nawabshah. He subsequently worked in real estate before entering the political sphere through his marriage. After Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988, Zardari initially stayed out of active politics to support her. However, he later served as Federal Investment Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Council when Bhutto was reelected in 1993.

Political turbulence followed the dismissal of the Bhutto government in 1990. Zardari faced various allegations of corruption and was arrested on 10 October 1990 on charges involving kidnapping and extortion. Although he was elected to the National Assembly in 1990 and the Senate in 1997, he remained incarcerated for significant periods. He was released from jail in 2004 and lived in self-exile in Dubai until the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on 27 December 2007.

Following her death, Zardari became the co-chairman of the PPP and led the party to victory in the 2008 general elections. He was elected president on 6 September 2008. During his first presidency, he achieved the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 2010. This amendment constitutionally reduced presidential powers—a move that significantly altered the office. His term faced challenges such as nationwide floods in 2010 and rising terrorist violence. He became the first elected president to complete a full constitutional term on 9 September 2013.

Zardari returned to the presidency in March 2024. This return resulted from a coalition agreement established after the 2024 Pakistani general election.

Personal life

Zardari is the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The couple married on 18 December 1987 in a ceremony in Karachi that was attended by over 100,000 people. This marriage was an arranged match that reportedly enhanced Bhutto's political standing. He is the only son of Hakim Ali Zardari.

Awards and recognition

Zardari has received several honors throughout his life. His recognized awards include the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the Order of Ismoili Somoni, and the Order of State of Republic of Turkey. He also holds the Grand Cross of the Order of Excellence.