Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar
{{Short description|Pakistani politician}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar
| honorific-suffix =
| office = Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab
| term_start = 20 March 2024
| office1 = Member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab
| term_start1 = 23 February 2024
| term_start2 = 16 October 2018
| term_end2 = 14 January 2023
| constituency2 = PP-87 Mianwali-III
| term_start3 = 29 May 2013
| term_end3 = 31 May 2018
| constituency3 = PP-45 (Mianwali-III)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|4|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Wan Bhachran, Punjab, Pakistan
| nationality = Pakistani
| party = PTI (2013-present)
| image = Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar PTI.jpg
| constituency1 = PP-87 Mianwali-III
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = Maryam Nawaz
| predecessor = Hamza Shahbaz
}}
File:Beautiful view of Punjab Assembly Lahore - panoramio.jpg
Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar is a Pakistani politician who is currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab since his appointment by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on 20 March 2024.
He had been a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from October 2018 till January 2023. Previously he was member of the Punjab Assembly from May 2013 to May 2018. He is also an agriculturalist and businessman.
Early life and education
He was born on 19 April 1968 in Wan Bhachran, Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan.{{cite web|title=Punjab Assembly|url=http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/20/900|website=www.pap.gov.pk|accessdate=25 January 2018|archive-date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620034310/http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/20/900|url-status=live}}
He graduated in 1989 from University of the Punjab and has a degree of Bachelor of Arts.
Political career
He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from PP-45 (Mianwali-III) in the 2013 Punjab provincial election.{{cite news|title=List of winners of Punjab Assembly seats|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/429935|accessdate=25 January 2018|work=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en|archive-date=16 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116081102/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/429935|url-status=live}} He received 59,746 votes and defeated Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi.{{cite web|title=2013 election result|url=https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf|publisher=ECP|accessdate=1 April 2018|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201140612/https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf|archivedate=1 February 2018}}
In 2018, he was allocated the PTI ticket to contest the 2018 Punjab provincial election from PP-87 (Mianwali-III),{{cite news |title=PTI finalises candidates for NA, PA seats |url=https://nation.com.pk/25-Jun-2018/pti-finalises-candidates-for-na-pa-seats |accessdate=13 October 2018 |work=The Nation |date=25 June 2018 |archive-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727212759/https://nation.com.pk/25-Jun-2018/pti-finalises-candidates-for-na-pa-seats |url-status=live }} but the election was postponed in the constituency following the death of a contesting candidate.{{cite news |title=ECP postpones election in PP-87 due to death of a candidate |url=https://www.brecorder.com/2018/07/17/429166/ecp-postpones-election-in-pp-87-due-to-death-of-a-candidate/ |accessdate=13 October 2018 |work=brecorder |archive-date=13 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013133059/https://www.brecorder.com/2018/07/17/429166/ecp-postpones-election-in-pp-87-due-to-death-of-a-candidate/ |url-status=live }}
He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of the PTI from PP-87 (Mianwali-III) on 12 October 2018. He was elected unopposed after rest of the contesting candidates withdrew.{{cite news |title=PTI's Ahmad Khan Bachar has been elected unopposed to PP-87 (Mianwali) |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1438559/ptis-ahmad-khan-bachar-has-been-elected-unopposed-to-pp-87-mianwali |accessdate=13 October 2018 |work=DAWN.COM |date=12 October 2018}} He also served as Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government & Community Development in Punjab.
He won the seat in the Provincial Assembly from PP-87 Mianwali-III as a candidate of the PTI in the 2024 Punjab provincial election. He was forced to run as an Independent alongside other PTI candidates but was able to win his seat. He then declared his affiliation under the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) with other PTI members.
On 20 March, SIC nominated him as the temporary opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly. Opposition leader candidate Mian Aslam Iqbal was unable to take the oath as a member of the assembly due to threats of an arrest, hence Bachar is serving as the Opposition leader until Mian Aslam Iqbal is able to hold the post.{{cite news |title=SIC nominates Bachar as temporary opposition leader in Punjab Assembly |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1170181-sic-nominates-bachar-as-temporary-opposition-leader-in-punjab-pa |access-date=23 March 2024 |work=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en |archive-date=20 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320083512/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1170181-sic-nominates-bachar-as-temporary-opposition-leader-in-punjab-pa |url-status=live }}
As opposition leader he criticized Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz for bad leadership and labeled her a “TikToker.”{{Cite web |last=Yasif |first=Rana |date=2024-07-20 |title=PTI sets stage for dual rallies in Lahore and Islamabad on August 14 |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2481295/ptis-bhachar-announces-dual-independence-day-rallies-in-lahore-and-islamabad |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} He also claimed the PMLN and several institutions had rigged the 2024 Pakistani general election using Form 47s.
References
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Category:Punjab MPAs 2013–2018
Category:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPAs (Punjab)