Forced to resign last year as a minister after his name cropped up in a scam, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Raja Parvez Ashraf, in a reversal of fortune, has become Pakistan's 25th premier, notwithstanding an ongoing probe against him. A strong loyalist of the Bhutto family, Ashraf hails from a royal family of Rawalpindi in Punjab.
The 61-year-old Ashraf, who was the PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari's second choice for the post, became the main candidate after an arrest warrant was issued against the party nominee Makhdoom Shahbuddin for alleged irregularities during his tenure as health minister.
Interestingly, Ashraf is facing a probe by the National Accountability Bureau for alleged corruption in rental power projects during his tenure as water and power minister. He was the secretary-general of the PPP (Parliamentarians), a party formed in 2002 by the PPP for the purpose of complying with electoral rules governing Pakistani parties.
The party contested the 2002 elections while former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was living in a self-imposed exile.
Ashraf, who was elected to the National Assembly from Gujar Khan constituency in Rawalpindi district – both in 2002 and 2008 – served twice in the cabinet of Yousuf Raza Gillani, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court. He resigned from Gilani's cabinet in February last year after the corruption allegations. He returned to the cabinet in April this year when he was appointed minister for information technology.
Ashraf's candidature was backed by PML-Q, a major ally of the PPP with more than 50 seats in the National Assembly.
His nomination is seen by experts as a taunt to the assertive judiciary. Ashraf's nomination might irk the Supreme Court, which had ordered the government to take legal action against him for alleged corruption cases.
The 61-year-old Ashraf, who was the PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari's second choice for the post, became the main candidate after an arrest warrant was issued against the party nominee Makhdoom Shahbuddin for alleged irregularities during his tenure as health minister.
Interestingly, Ashraf is facing a probe by the National Accountability Bureau for alleged corruption in rental power projects during his tenure as water and power minister. He was the secretary-general of the PPP (Parliamentarians), a party formed in 2002 by the PPP for the purpose of complying with electoral rules governing Pakistani parties.
The party contested the 2002 elections while former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was living in a self-imposed exile.
Ashraf, who was elected to the National Assembly from Gujar Khan constituency in Rawalpindi district – both in 2002 and 2008 – served twice in the cabinet of Yousuf Raza Gillani, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court. He resigned from Gilani's cabinet in February last year after the corruption allegations. He returned to the cabinet in April this year when he was appointed minister for information technology.
Ashraf's candidature was backed by PML-Q, a major ally of the PPP with more than 50 seats in the National Assembly.
His nomination is seen by experts as a taunt to the assertive judiciary. Ashraf's nomination might irk the Supreme Court, which had ordered the government to take legal action against him for alleged corruption cases.