Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan

Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan عشرت العباد خان
30th Governor of Sindh
In office December 27, 2002 – Present
President	Pervez Musharraf Muhammad Mian Soomro (Acting) Asif Ali Zardari Mamnoon Hussain
Prime Minister	Zafarullah Khan Jamali Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Shaukat Aziz Muhammad Mian Soomro (Acting) Yousaf Raza Gillani Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by	Muhammad Mian Soomro
Personal details
Born	(1963-03-02) March 2, 1963
Citizenship	Pakistan  United Kingdom
Political party	Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM)
Spouse(s)	Shaheena Jabeen
Residence	Karachi
Religion	Islam
Website	http://www.governorsindh.gov.pk/ Official webcite

Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan (Urdu: عشرت العباد خان‎, born 2 March 1963, also Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan) is the 30th Governor of Sindh, Pakistan. He is a British national.^[1] He took up the post of Governor of Sindh, Pakistan on December 27, 2002, becoming the youngest governor to hold the office.^[2] Since July 16, 2008, he has the distinction of becoming the province's longest-serving governor.^[2] He resigned on June 27, 2011,^[3] but his resignation was not accepted by the President of Pakistan. He resumed his official Governor duties from Tuesday, July 19, 2011.^[4]

Political career

Ishrat-ul-Ebad studied in Dow Medical College, Karachi. During his studies, he emerged as a leader of a student organization, APMSO, a student wing of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). After graduation, he remained the head of the Medical Aid Committee of MQM. Earlier in 1990, he was Minister of Housing and Town Planning in the Government of Sindh. Subsequently, he was assigned the additional portfolio of Environment and Public Health Engineering Departments.^[5] In 1993, he left for the United Kingdom on political asylum, where he acquired British nationality during his stay in northwest London ^[6][7] and became entitled to UK state benefits.^[8]

Achievements and Developments

Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan (left) with Suhail Al Zarooni (right)

Ishrat-ul-Ebad played a pivotal role in defusing tension and violence in the province by holding political talks with members of other political parties. He has played an instrumental role in getting the 22 hostages released from the Somalian pirates captivity with the partnership of Ansar Burney who leads a human rights organisation.^[9]

A number of development projects were started during Ebad's time in the office, including Nagan Chowrangi flyover. He is working on a long term project to make Karachi a greener city.^[10] The Beach View Park was constructed under his supervision. It was a part of the Grand Recreation Project. This park is spread over an area of 47 acres (190,000 m²) and constructed along 3.7 km of the coastal driveway.

Also, under his supervision, a park Bagh Ibne Qasim (old name Jehangir Kothari Park near Jehangir Kothari Parade) was constructed, located in Clifton, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The park was established on February 27, 2007. The park is the country's largest park, constructed under Clifton Beach Development Project on 130 acres (0.53 km²) of land. This park replaced old Toyland Theme Park. The park cost PKR 600 million and has been completed in just about 310 working days. It is estimated that more than 10 million people visit this park per year. Prior to the initiation of construction on Bagh Ibne Qasim, 73 acres (300,000 m²) of land was freed from the grip of land grabbers.

Controversy

British Nationality

Ishrat-ul-Ebad is a British national,^[1] hence he is illegally occupying the seat of Governorship of Sindh as no foreign nationals can occupy a govermental seat in Pakistan.

Taking illegal benefits from UK government

Ishrat-ul-Ebad has been embroiled in controversy of taking thousands of pounds of illegal benefits from British government.^[11] Ishrat-ul-Ebad has accepted that he has a taken some benefits which he was not entitled to inadvertently.^[11] Ishrat-ul-Ebad has since paid back "few hundred pounds"^[11] to the British government.

References

External links

• Official Website – Governor of Sindh