Raja Ashfaq Sarwar

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar (Urdu: راجا اشفاک سارور; 27 October 1954 — 11 April 2020)^[1] was a Pakistani politician, Member of Punjab Assembly, former Adviser to Chief Minister of Punjab,^[2][3] and Minister for Labour and Human Resource.^[4] He was Secretary General of the center-right party PMLN in Punjab.^[5] He had held various portfolios over his career including Minister for Youth Affairs, Minister for Forestry Wildlife & Fisheries, and Minister for Health.

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar راجہ اشفاق سرور
ex Member Punjab Assembly, PMLN Minister for Labour & Human Resource
In office 11 May 2013 – 2018
Secretary General PMLN Punjab
In office 2008 – 26 March 2013
Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab
In office 2008–2013
Member Punjab Assembly, Minister for Health & Population Welfare
In office 1997–1999
Member Punjab Assembly,
In office 1993–1996
Member Punjab Assembly, Minister for Youth Affairs Minister for Forestry, Wildlife, & Fisheries
In office 1990–1992
Member Punjab Assembly, Minister for Labour
In office 1988–1990
Personal details
Born	(1954-10-27)27 October 1954 Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Died	11 April 2020(2020-04-11) (aged 65)
Political party	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Relations	Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (cousin) Sadia Abbasi (cousin)
Alma mater	Lawrence College
Website	www.pmln.org.pk

Early life and education

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, born at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi, hails from the village of Ghora Gali in the Murree Hills and is the eldest son of Raja Ghulam Sarwar (late) a two-time member of West Pakistan Assembly.^[6] He attended Lawrence College.^[7]

Political career

His political career started in 1988 when he successfully contested for a Punjab Assembly seat from Murree as an Independent candidate. He joined PML (a part of IJI then) later becoming PMLN, and was appointed Provincial Labour Minister.

He successfully contested for the same seat in 1990 and became the Punjab Minister for Forestry, Wildlife, Fisheries and Minister of Youth Affairs. Within the party he became President of PML Youth Wing Punjab where he appointed Khawaja Saad Rafique as general secretary. He was re-elected as an MPA in 1993 and 1997 where he became Provincial Minister for Health and Population Welfare up until the 1999 coup d'état by General Pervez Musharraf.

Following the Military Coup he took a break from his own elections to focus on strengthening PML N, and restoring Democracy and the Judiciary in Pakistan. During this period he was twice-elected as General Secretary of PMLN in Punjab and currently holds this position.^[8] In 2008 he was appointed as Adviser to Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.^[7]

On 11 May 2013 he was again elected as Member of Punjab Assembly from his home constituency of PP-1 in Rawalpindi District, serving Tehsil Murree and Tehsil Kotli Sattian, however he lost the 2018 General Election to Major Latosab Satti, a candidate of PTI.^[9]

He died on 11 April 2020 at the age of 65 after a prolonged illness.^[1]

Election history

Provincial Assembly of Pakistan PP-1 Rawalpindi I, 2013^[10][11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PML(N)	Raja Ashfaq Sarwar	51,108	38.7
	PTI	Sardar Saleem Khan	23,498	17.8

Provincial Assembly of Pakistan PP-8 Rawalpindi VIII, 1997^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PML(N)	Raja Ashfaq Sarwar	22,468	53.8
	Independent	Sardar Sajid Khan	11,211	26.8

Provincial Assembly of Pakistan PP-8 Rawalpindi VIII, 1993^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PML(N)	Raja Ashfaq Sarwar	26,983	47.0
	PPP	Hafiz-ur-Rehman Abbasi	17,069	29.7

Provincial Assembly of Pakistan PP-8 Rawalpindi VIII, 1990^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PML(N)	Raja Ashfaq Sarwar	41,275	82.3
	PPP	Muharram Ali Abbasi	12,505	22.7

Provincial Assembly of Pakistan PP-8 Rawalpindi VIII, 1988^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Raja Ashfaq Sarwar	20,696	37.3
	PPP	Muharram Ali Abbasi	15,246	27.5

References

1. "PML-N loyalist Raja Ashfaq Sarwar passes away". 24 News HD. 11 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
2. Office of the CM of Punjab, "Advisory Council"
3. Staff Reporter, "CM for ensuring all facilities to tourists" The Nation Newspaper Online 13 July 2010
4. APP, "Nawaz, Shahbaz to become 3rd time PM, CM" The Business Recorder 3 June 2013
5. Abdul Manan, PMLN-finalises-two-candidates-against-pm-ashraf/ "Next general election: PMLN finalises two candidates against PM Ashraf " Express Tribune 13 September 2012
6. "Political History of Murree" MurreeHills.com
7. Staff Writer, "Raja Ashfaq Sarwar Profile" Pakistan Herald
8. Neem Rev, "Principles v Power – A test for the Pakistani Politician" The Emergency Times 20 January 2008
9. Election Commission of Pakistan, "Punjab Assembly Results" Election of 11 May 2013
10. Election Commission of Pakistan – Punjab Assembly Results 2013
11. Election Commission of PakistanPP-1 (RAWALPINDI-I) Result 2013
12. Election Commission of Pakistan – Results 1988–1997 Archived 24 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Profile of Raja Ashfaq Sarwar
• Political History of Murree
• Official PML-N Website