Shafqat Mahmood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shafqat Mahmood
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| شفقت محمود | |
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| Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training | |
| In office 20 August 2018 – 10 April 2022 |
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| President | Mamnoon Hussain Arif Alvi |
| Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Muhammad Yusuf Shaikh (caretaker) |
| Minister for National History and Literary Heritage | |
| In office 20 August 2018 – 10 April 2022 |
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| President | Mamnoon Hussain Arif Alvi |
| Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Syed Ali Zafar (caretaker) |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 13 August 2018 – 17 January 2023 |
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| Constituency | NA-130 Lahore-VIII |
| In office 1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018 |
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| Constituency | NA-126 Lahore-IX |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 February 1950 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Children | Tara Mahmood (daughter) |
| Relatives | Zaka Ashraf (cousin) Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar (cousin) |
| Alma mater | Sadiq Public School |
Shafqat Mahmood (born 19 February 1950) is a Pakistani politician and former government official. He served as the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, and also as Minister for National History and Literary Heritage. He held these important roles from August 2018 to April 2022.
Before becoming a politician, he worked as a high-ranking officer in the Pakistan Administrative Service. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan (which is like the main parliament) in 2013 and 2018. He was also a member of the Senate of Pakistan (another part of the parliament) from 1994 to 2000.
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Early Life and Education
Shafqat Mahmood was born on 19 February 1950. He comes from a Gujjar family. His cousins include Zaka Ashraf, who was involved with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and led the Pakistan Cricket Board. Another cousin is Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar, a politician from the Pakistan Muslim League (N).
He went to Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur for his early schooling. Later, he studied at Government College University, Lahore. In 1970, he earned a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of the Punjab. He continued his studies abroad, getting a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1981. He also earned another Master's degree from the University of Southern California in 1987. His daughter, Tara Mahmood, is a well-known actress and singer.
Starting His Career in Public Service
Shafqat Mahmood began his career in 1973 by joining the Pakistan Administrative Service. This is a group of government officials who help run the country. He worked as an Assistant Commissioner in Murree and Pakpatan from 1975 to 1978.
He then became a Deputy Secretary for the Government of Punjab until 1980. For five years, he served as Deputy Commissioner in Gujranwala and Dera Ghazi Khan. He also worked briefly with the Afghan Refugees Organization in 1985. From 1988 to 1989, he was an Additional Secretary of Finance for the Government of Punjab. After that, he joined the Prime Minister's Secretariat as a Joint Secretary from 1989 to 1990.
His Journey in Politics
Shafqat Mahmood decided to leave his government job and enter politics in 1990. He joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He became a political secretary to the Prime Minister at the time, Benazir Bhutto. He also spoke for the PPP during international trips and was a close helper to Benazir Bhutto.
In March 1994, he was elected to the Senate of Pakistan from Islamabad as a PPP candidate. He served as a Senator until March 2000.
In November 1996, he became a Federal Minister in the government of Prime Minister Malik Meraj Khalid. He was first appointed as Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Livestock. Later, he was also given the roles of Minister for Environment, Urban Affairs, Forestry, and Wildlife, and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development. He held these ministerial positions until February 1997.
After a change in government in 1999, he served as the Provincial Minister of Punjab for Information until 2000. After leaving this role, he started writing articles for The News International, an English newspaper.
In November 2011, he joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. He served as the information secretary for PTI from December 2011 to March 2013.
In the 2013 general election, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan. He won from Constituency NA-126 (Lahore-IX) as a PTI candidate. He received many votes, defeating his opponent from the Pakistan Muslim League (N).
In November 2015, he stepped down from his role as PTI organizer in Lahore. This happened after the party did not perform well in local elections. In May 2017, he became the central information secretary for PTI.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly in the 2018 general election. This time, he won from Constituency NA-130 (Lahore-VIII) as a PTI candidate.
On 18 August 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his new government. Shafqat Mahmood was named Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, and Minister for National History and Literary Heritage. He officially took his oath as a Federal Minister on 20 August 2018.
In November 2019, he was chosen to be the President of UNESCO's Education Commission.
His Published Works
Shafqat Mahmood has written many articles and government reports. One of his notable works is a report titled Devolving the State: A Model for Empowering the People, which he wrote in 2000.
