Abdul Qadir Baloch

Abdul Qadir Baloch
عبد القادر بلوچ
Minister for States and Frontier Regions
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 June 2013
President Mamnoon Hussain
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by Najmuddin Khan
Constituency NA-271 (Kharan-Panjgur)
Martial Law Administrator of Balochistan
In office
1 February 2003 – 11 August 2003
Preceded by Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal
Succeeded by Owais Ahmed Ghani
Personal details
Born June 16, 1942
Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
Citizenship  Pakistan
Nationality Pakistan
Political party Pakistan Muslim League (N)
(2010-Present)
Residence Islamabad, Pakistan
Alma mater Pakistan Military Academy
PMALC
Command and Staff College
National Defence University
Cabinet Sharif ministry
Religion Islam
Civilian awards Tamgha-i-Imtiaz
Military service
Allegiance  Pakistan
Service/branch  Pakistan Army
Years of service 1966–2003
Rank Lieutenant-General
Unit Baloch Regiment
Commands XXX Corps
XII Corps
19th Infantry Division
Battles/wars 1971 war
Kargil War
2001 India-Pakistan standoff
War on Terror
Military awards Sitara-i-Jurat
Hilal-i-Jurat

Abdul Qadir Baloch (Urdu, Balochi: عبد القادر بلوچ), is a Pakistani politician, military strategist, retired army general, and a senior conservative figure who is currently serving as the Minister for States and Frontier Regions, appointed since 7 June 2013.[1][2]

Prematurely receiving honorable discharge to retire as a Lieutenant-General in the Pakistan Army, Baloch also served as Martial Law Administrator first, before officially appointed as Governor of Balochistan, Pakistan. He holds a notable distinction of being the first Baloch army general in the Pakistan military.[3] Though, he has written about national conservatism since 2003, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League (N) in 2010; and he was appointed as the Minister for States and Frontier Regions in 2013. In political circles, Baloch is considered a key adviser and confident of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.[4]

Biography

Career in the military

Born in Quetta, Balochistan, Baloch graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul with a PMA Long Course. Upon graduating, he gained commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Pakistan Army in 1966. Baloch also attended the Command and Staff College in Quetta, and attained MSc in Strategic studies from the National Defence University (NDU).[3]

His career in the military progressed well and proved himself as a capable combat commander. In late 1990s, he was promoted to one-star assignment, and as Brigadier, he commanded the combat infantry brigade in Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir. Upon attaining two-star rank, Major-General Baloch commanded the combat infantry division based in Murree as its GOC and oversaw the troops positioned along the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir in 1999.[3] In 2000, he reached to a three-star assignment and was eventually promoted as Lieutenant-General in the army. General Baloch holds the notable distinguish of being the first Baloch general in the army.

General Baloch was appointed as field operations commander of the XXX Corps where he oversaw the redeployment of the military troops near border with India.[5] In the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Lieutenant General Baloch was relieved his command, instead he was assigned as field operations commander of the XII Corps which had the AOR of the Balochistan.[5] By the time, he had become a field operations commander of the XII Corps, there were increased reports of border clashes with Afghanistan.[5] In addition, General Baloch had approved then-Brigadier Raheel Sharif, who would later become chief of army staff in 2013, as chief of staff of the XII Corps.[5]

Career in politics

In 2001, General Baloch was appointed as Martial Law Administrator of Balochistan.[6] In 2003, he received honorable discharge from the army and prematurely retired from the military to be appointed as Governor of Balochistan.[6] However, his tenure was short and was eventually succeeded by Owais Ahmed Ghani in matter of few months.[7]

From 2003–09, he wrote extensively on national conservatism and appeared on country's news channels to speak on political affairs.[7] He began his political campaign to highlight the human rights in Balochistan and several issues concerning the Balochistan conflict in the province of Balochistan.[7] He began expressing his opposition to former President Pervez Musharraf and urging him to face the trial.[8] Baloch reposed confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif where he would eventually met with Sharif along with another Baloch figure Sanaullah Zehri.[8]

In 2010, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League (N).[8] In August 2011, Baloch was selected by PML(N) as the assistant secretaries-general of the PML-N for Balochistan.[9]

Minister of States and Frontier Regions (2013-)

In 2013, the PML(N) allotted a party ticket to Baloch for the NA-271 to participated in general elections.[10] Baloch performed well in the election and defeated Ahsanullah Raki of PPP.[11] He secured ~7,714 votes, as the voting turnout was extremely low in this constituency.[10]

In 2013, he was appointed as Minister for States and Frontier Regions by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and took oath on 8 June 2013.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Abdul Qadir Baloch declared winner in Quetta poll". Nation. 25 January 2010.
  2. ↑ "Lt.Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch". Pakistan Herald. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "A Baloch General in Pakistan History". Balawaristan National Front. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  4. ↑ Dawn.com (27 November 2013). "Profile: Lt General Raheel Sharif". Dawn newspapers, 2013. Dawn newspapers. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Swami, Parveen (27 November 2013). "Troubled history hangs over Pakistan’s new army chief". The hindu, 2013. The HIndu. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pakistan Herald. "Profile: General A.Q. Baloch". Pakistan Herald. Pakistan Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Akbar, Malik Siraj (2011). The Redefined Dimensions of Baloch Nationalist Movement. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1456895338.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Dawn.com (6 June 2010). "Sanaullah Zehri, Qadir Baloch join PML-N". Dawn newspaper, 2010. Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "Two ex-generals picked for key PML-N positions". Dawn. 7 August 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 et. al. "Abdul Qadir Baloch". Pakistan Leaders Online database. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  11. ↑ staff. "Election results". ECP data base. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  12. ↑ Hussain, Tayyab (8 June 2013). "25-member cabinet takes oath". Pakistan Today. Pakistan Today. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
Political offices
Preceded by
Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal		 Governor of Balochistan
1 February 2003 – 11 August 2003 		Succeeded by
Owais Ahmed Ghani