Mohammad Asghar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mohammad Asghar MS
Mohammad Asghar, June 2016
Member of the Senedd for South Wales East
In office 3 May 2007 – 16 June 2020
Preceded by	Laura Anne Jones
Succeeded by	Laura Anne Jones
Personal details
Born	(1945-09-30)30 September 1945 Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, British India (now in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan)
Died	16 June 2020(2020-06-16) (aged 74) Newport, Wales
Political party	Welsh Conservatives
Other political affiliations	Plaid Cymru (until 2009) Welsh Labour (mid 1990s)
Children	Natasha Asghar
Website	www.mohammadasghar.org.uk

Mohammad Asghar (born September 30, 1945 – died June 16, 2020) was a Welsh politician. People often called him "Oscar". He was a Member of the Senedd (MS) for an area called South Wales East.

A Member of the Senedd is like a Member of Parliament, but for Wales. They help make laws and decisions for Wales. Mohammad Asghar was a member of the Welsh Conservatives political party. Before that, he was part of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru.

He became well-known after being chosen for the Welsh Assembly in 2007. He was the first person from an ethnic minority and the first Muslim to be an Assembly Member. He was also the first Assembly Member to switch from one political party to another while in office.

Early Life and Education

Mohammad Asghar was born in Peshawar, which was part of British India at the time. His parents were Aslam Khan and Zubaida Aslam.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Peshawar University. Later, he moved to Wales. In Newport, he studied accountancy.

Political Journey

Mohammad Asghar first joined the Conservative Party and stayed with them for about 20 years. In the 1990s, he joined the Labour Party.

After becoming the first Muslim councillor in Wales, he joined Plaid Cymru. He represented the Victoria ward on Newport City Council. He also ran for Plaid Cymru in national elections. His daughter, Natasha Asghar, also ran as a Plaid Cymru candidate in 2007. She later joined the Conservative party at the same time as her father.

On December 8, 2009, Asghar made history. He was the first Assembly Member to switch parties while in office. He moved from Plaid Cymru to the Conservative Party. He said he felt "out of tune" with Plaid Cymru's ideas. He also said he supported the Queen (a royalist) and keeping the United Kingdom together (a unionist). Plaid Cymru asked him to give up his seat after he switched parties.

Awards and Recognition

Mohammad Asghar was recognized for his work. In January 2014 and 2015, he was nominated for the Politician of the Year award. This award was part of the British Muslim Awards.

Personal Life

Mohammad Asghar had many talents. He was a qualified pilot. He could also speak three languages very well: Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi.

He married his wife, Firdaus, in 1983. They had one daughter, Natasha Asghar.

He was also involved in sports. He carried the Olympic torch in 1964. He also worked to get Wales its own cricket team.

Passing Away

Mohammad Asghar passed away on June 16, 2020. He had been taken to the hospital earlier that day. His funeral was held in Newport Central Mosque on June 25, 2020.

Offices Held