Hammad Azhar

Hammad Azhar was born to the former Governor of Punjab (1990–1993) and later co-founder of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Mian Muhammad Azhar,{{cite news |date=11 May 2013 |title=Baton passed: Hammad Azhar: Crying out for a change {{!}} The Express Tribune |work=The Express Tribune |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/547212/baton-passed-the-next-generation-crying-out-for-a-change/ |access-date=11 September 2018}} into a political Punjabi Arain family of Lahore.

He received his early education from Aitchison College and later was a pupil at Wellington College.

He later graduated with a bachelor's degree in Development Economics from the SOAS, University of London and then completed his postgraduate diploma in Law from the BPP Law School.

He enrolled for the Bar Vocational Course in 2004 and was formally called to the Bar at The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn in 2005.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1493032|title=Hammad Azhar elevated to post of federal minister for revenue|first=Tahir|last=Sherani|date=9 July 2019|website=DAWN.COM}}

After refusing tickets from both the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) in 2007, Azhar joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2011.

He ran for the seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-121 (Lahore-IV) in the 2013 Pakistani general election but was unsuccessful. He received 68,307 votes and lost the seat to Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed.{{cite web |title=2013 election result |url=https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf |publisher=ECP |access-date=11 September 2018 |archive-date=1 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201140612/https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf |url-status=dead }}

Azhar was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-126 (Lahore-IV) in the 2018 Pakistani general election.{{cite news |title=LIVE UPDATES: PTI leads in election 2018 results |url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/07/25/live-updates-polling-ends-counting-of-votes-begins/ |access-date=4 August 2018 |work=www.pakistantoday.com.pk}}

On 11 September 2018, Azhar was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan{{cite news |title=PM Imran's cabinet expanded by six {{!}} The Express Tribune |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1800269/1-pm-imrans-cabinet-expanded-six/ |access-date=11 September 2018 |work=The Express Tribune |date=11 September 2018}} and was appointed Minister of State for Revenue.{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=State ministers for revenue, frontier regions notified |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1432615 |access-date=13 September 2018 |work=DAWN.COM |date=13 September 2018}}{{cite news |title=Govt announces portfolios of new ministers |url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/09/12/govt-announces-portfolios-of-new-ministers/ |access-date=13 September 2018 |work=www.pakistantoday.com.pk |date=13 September 2018}} On 11 June 2019, Hammad presented the 2019-20 annual budget of Pakistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/239888-minister-of-state-for-revenue-hammad-azhar-to-present-federal-budget-2019-20|title=Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar to present Federal Budget 2019-20|website=www.geo.tv|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-11}}

On 8 July 2019, Azhar was elevated to the post of Federal Minister and was appointed Federal Minister for Revenue.{{cite news |last1=Sherani |first1=Tahir |title=Hammad Azhar elevated to post of federal minister for revenue |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1493032/hammad-azhar-elevated-to-post-of-federal-minister-for-revenue |access-date=9 July 2019 |work=DAWN.COM |date=9 July 2019 |language=en}} The next day, he ceased to hold the office of federal minister for Revenue Division and was appointed the federal minister for Economic Affairs Division.{{cite news |last1=Sherani |first1=Tahir |title=Hammad Azhar relieved of Revenue Division portfolio in a day, given economic affairs charge |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1493232/hammad-azhar-relieved-of-revenue-division-portfolio-in-a-day-given-economic-affairs-charge |access-date=10 July 2019 |work=DAWN.COM |date=10 July 2019 |language=en}}

On 6 April 2020 he was removed from the position of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, and was given the portfolio of Federal Minister for Industries and Production.

On 12 June 2020, Hammad presented the Rs. 7,294.9 billion 2020-21 annual Corona budget of Pakistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan reflecting a reduction in its size by 11 percent from the budget estimates for fiscal 2019–20.

“Formulation and presentation of the budget in times of the coronavirus pandemic that besets the world at present and is on the ascent in Pakistan at the moment with total uncertainty about its descent is almost an impossible task, particularly for a developing country like Pakistan and therefore, the present budget can at best be viewed as 'work in progress' that would need a revision/tweaking as the economic fallout from the pandemic continues to unfold.”{{cite news |last1=Sherani |first1=Tahir |title=Hammad Azhar presents the budget|url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/1004079/the-budget |access-date=13 June 2020 |work=Business Recorder |date=13 June 2020 |language=en}}

On 29 March 2021, after the removal of Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from Federal Cabinet, Azhar was given additional charge of Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-03-30 |title=Hammad Azhar notified as finance minister |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2292222/hammad-azhar-notified-as-finance-minister |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}

On 17 April 2021, Shaukat Tareen was appointed Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue and Hammad Azhar was promoted as Federal Minister of Energy. This ministry is considered to be the most difficult due to rising circular debt and costly power agreements that require new negotiations.{{Cite web |last=Wasim |first=Amir |date=2021-04-16 |title=Hammad Azhar given energy ministry, Shaukat Tarin made finance minister in latest cabinet reshuffle |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1618558 |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

On 16 December 2023, he was appointed as acting President of PTI's provincial chapter in Punjab.{{cite news|url=https://gnnhd.tv/news/28927/hammad-azhar-appointed-pti-punjab-acting-president|title=Hammad Azhar appointed PTI Punjab acting president|date=16 December 2023|access-date=16 December 2023|work=GNN}} He stepped down from the position in April 2025, arguing that he was being accused of obstructing the work of other party members and that there was a lack of freedom to control his constituency.{{Cite web |last=Gabol |first=Imran |date=2 April 2025 |title=Hammad Azhar steps down from PTI office for 3rd time |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1901661 |website=Dawn News}}

Hammad Azhar is a barrister by profession.{{cite news |date=11 May 2013 |title=Baton passed: Hammad Azhar: Crying out for a change {{!}} The Express Tribune |work=The Express Tribune |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/547212/baton-passed-the-next-generation-crying-out-for-a-change/ |access-date=11 September 2018}}

He has also been involved in his family-owned company AFCO Steel Industries, one of the largest and oldest steel manufacturing groups in Pakistan.{{Cite web |last=Hussain |first=Abid |date=8 June 2023 |title=Imran Khan supporters say their businesses targeted in Pakistan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/8/khan-supporters-say-their-businesses-being-targeted-in-pakistan |access-date=31 August 2023 |website=Al Jazeera}} It was established in Jalandhar, now in Indian Punjab, in the 1930s.

His other professional postings include:

• Asian Development Bank (ADB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[https://www.adb.org/about/board-governors Board of Governors] Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/governance/board-governors/index.html Board of Governors] Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
• Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)[https://www.isdb.org/assembly/governor Board of Governors] Islamic Development Bank.

In 2020, the World Economic Forum (WEF) named Hammad Azhar, then Minister for Economic Affairs, as one of its Young Global Leaders from South Asia. According to a press release, the WEF identifies the world's most promising leaders under the age of 40 who are driving innovation for positive change across civil society, arts, culture, government and business. Azhar had been named alongside 114 young global leaders.{{Cite web |title=Meet the young leaders set to shape 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/ygl-wef-young-global-leaders/ |website=World Economic Forum}}{{Cite web |title=World Economic Forum names Hammad Azhar among Young Global Leaders from South Asia |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/276793-wef-names-hammad-azhar-as-one-of-its-young-global-leader-from-south-asia |website=www.geo.tv}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Pakistani MNAs 2018–2023

Category:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNAs

Category:Pakistani barristers

Category:Aitchison College alumni

Category:Ministers of finance of Pakistan

Category:Alumni of BPP University

Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London

Category:1981 births