Shaukat Aziz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shaukat Aziz
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شوکت عزیز
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Aziz in 2007
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| 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan | |
| In office 28 August 2004 – 15 November 2007 |
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| President | Pervez Musharraf |
| Preceded by | Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Mian Soomro (caretaker) |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 6 November 1999 – 15 November 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Zafarullah Khan Jamali Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Himself |
| Preceded by | Ishaq Dar |
| Succeeded by | Salman Shah (caretaker) |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 20 August 2004 – 15 November 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Eman Waseem |
| Succeeded by | Saleem Haider |
| Constituency | NA-59 (Attock-III) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Shaukat Abdul Aziz
6 March 1949 Karachi, Federal Capital Territory, Pakistan |
| Other political affiliations |
Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (2002–2007) |
| Spouse | Rukhsana Aziz |
| Residences | London, United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | Gordon College IBA |
Shaukat Aziz (born 6 March 1949) is a British former banker. He served as the 15th prime minister of Pakistan from 2004 to 2007. Before that, he was the finance minister of Pakistan from 1999 to 2004. After his time as Prime Minister, he moved to the United Kingdom.
Aziz was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He studied at the Institute of Business Administration. In 1969, he started working for CitiBank Pakistan. He became an executive vice-president at Citibank in 1999. In 1999, he entered politics at the request of Pervez Musharraf. He moved back to Pakistan from the United States to become the finance minister. In 2004, Musharraf chose him to be the prime minister.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Shaukat Aziz was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 6, 1949. He went to Saint Patrick's School in Karachi. He also attended Abbottabad Public School. His father was a radio engineer for the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.
His family moved to Abbottabad, where he went to Abbottabad Public School. Later, they moved back to Karachi. Aziz finished high school at Saint Patrick's High School. In 1965, he went to Gordon College in Rawalpindi. He earned a degree in Economics from Gordon College in 1967. In 1969, he got his MBA in business administration from the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi.
Banking Career
Aziz started his banking career at Citibank Pakistan in 1969. He worked in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore. In the U.S., he worked in different parts of Citibank. He was a board member for some Citibank companies.
Aziz helped expand Citibank's operations in many countries. He was important in bringing international banking to Pakistan in the 1990s. He also managed funds for Citibank in global stock markets. Aziz felt his time at Citigroup helped him prepare for his public roles.
He often visited Pakistan to help Citibank grow there. In the 1990s, he worked with Pakistani governments. He helped negotiate financial aid for Pakistan. He also built connections with the United States government.
Finance Minister
Before returning to Pakistan in 1999, Shaukat Aziz was a president at Citi Private Bank in New York. General Pervez Musharraf asked him to come back to Pakistan. Musharraf had taken over the government in October 1999.
In November 1999, Musharraf announced that Shaukat Aziz would help improve Pakistan's economy. Aziz became the Finance Minister. He was in charge of finance, economic affairs, and planning. As Finance Minister, he also led important economic committees. He worked to prepare government-owned companies for privatization.
At first, the economy faced challenges. Aziz worked to improve Pakistan's relationships with international financial groups. He offered ways to encourage foreign investors. He also focused on improving how the government managed its money.
After the events of September 11, 2001, Aziz traveled to the United States. He worked to get financial help for Pakistan. He also discussed plans to help remove the Taliban from Afghanistan. He suggested new economic reforms, like making government spending more open. The United States supported his plans. In 2002, he helped the U.S. understand how illegal money was being moved.
In 2001, Aziz started the Privatization Programme. This program allowed private companies to take over state-owned businesses. This helped the country's economy grow quickly. After the 2002 elections, he continued these economic policies. His policies helped many people afford homes and cars. The IMF and the World Bank praised Pakistan's economic performance.
Assassination Attempt
On July 30, 2004, Shaukat Aziz survived an attack in the Attock District. This happened while he was campaigning. He was leaving a meeting when the attack occurred.
Aziz called the event "tragic" because innocent people lost their lives. He said it made him even more determined to serve Pakistan. After reaching Islamabad safely, he started an investigation. Ten suspected attackers were arrested and brought to Pakistan.
Premiership
By 2004, Aziz had become a close advisor to General Musharraf. After Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigned, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain suggested Aziz for the prime minister's job. Musharraf also wanted Aziz to be prime minister.
However, Aziz was a Senator, not a member of the National Assembly. The constitution required the prime minister to be a member of the National Assembly. Aziz was seen as a "technocrat," someone with special skills. He had earned the trust of the government and international groups. His nomination was compared to Dr. Manmohan Singh, who became prime minister of India.
Aziz was known for being well-dressed and organized. His job was to manage the government's daily tasks. Musharraf handled military matters. It was said that Musharraf trusted Aziz completely. Aziz worked to remove any obstacles that might have challenged Musharraf.
While Aziz became prime minister, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain held the position temporarily. Aziz needed to win a seat in the lower house of parliament. He ran in two areas and won both. He chose to represent Attock.
Domestic Reforms
Aziz successfully oversaw the quick growth of the local government system in Pakistan. This was part of his plan to make local governments more open and responsible. In 2005, his government installed 6,000 water filter plants across the country. This was part of the Khushal Pakistan program.
As prime minister, Aziz took a firm stand against political opponents. In 2005, local government elections were held across the country. Aziz supervised these elections, and his party and its allies won many seats. He also oversaw the completion of the first phase of the Gwadar port.
His government also took action in Islamabad. Aziz stated that his government tried to solve issues through talks to save lives.
One major event during his government was the atomic proliferation issue involving Abdul Qadeer Khan. Aziz supported Khan and managed the situation. He made it clear that Khan would not be handed over to other countries.
Energy Policy
After becoming prime minister, Aziz announced a "New 25-year energy plan." This plan aimed to increase Pakistan's use of imported oil for power. His government also worked to develop solar energy and wind power.
Prime Minister Aziz approved the building of the CHASNUPP-II reactor. This 325 MW nuclear power plant was built with help from China. Aziz called this project a "milestone" for Pakistan's nuclear technology. In 2007, he approved the building of KANUPP-II and a nuclear reprocessing site. He also worked to improve the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority to ensure safety.
Aziz also supported the construction of large hydroelectric power plants. He approved the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project. In 2004, he asked the Ministry of Water and Power to create an energy plan. He approved the "Vision 2025" program to produce power from water.
Defence Policy
Aziz oversaw the successful development of the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet. This project was done quickly with help from China. In 2007, Aziz said that Pakistan's defense was meant to keep peace and stability. He also saw the development of the first combat frigate, the F-22P Zulfiquar. In 2006, Aziz said that Pakistan's cooperation with China was very strong.
In August 2006, Aziz visited China to ask for help with space technology. China was interested in helping Pakistan launch satellites. Aziz also approved the development of the satellite, Paksat-IR. He worked to expand and modernize Pakistan's nuclear deterrence program. He oversaw the successful development of the Shaheen-II missile program. After a test in 2006, Aziz said Pakistan would continue to meet its security and energy needs, including nuclear energy. In 2005, he ordered stronger security for Pakistan's nuclear facilities.
Foreign Relations
Aziz worked closely with Musharraf on Pakistan's foreign policy. He aimed to strengthen relationships with the United States, European Union, Russia, India, China, and Saudi Arabia. During his time, relations with the United States were very good. His foreign policy focused on building strong ties with many countries.
In 2006, Aziz traveled to Iran with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey. They discussed Iran's nuclear program. Aziz urged Iran to change its approach for the good of the region. Aziz's time as prime minister also saw better relations with Japan. He welcomed Japanese investment in Pakistan.
Aziz visited South Korea to improve relations. He signed agreements on cultural exchange and trade. He strongly supported the United States in fighting terrorism. He said Pakistan was working for peace and stability. He believed Pakistan-American relations were based on trust. He worked to build a strong partnership with the United States.
Relations with Israel were also considered important by Aziz's government. Aziz kept in touch with Saudi Arabia and Turkey on this matter. During his time, relations with the United Kingdom also improved. He met with British prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In 2004, Aziz made his first foreign visit as prime minister to China. In 2007, he signed a Free Trade Agreement with China. He called China a "strategic partner" and a "time-tested friend." Aziz also worked to build closer economic ties with India.
Aziz also focused on relations with Russia. In 2006, he stressed the need for more cooperation between Pakistan and Russia. This included education, science, technology, energy, and trade. In 2007, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov visited Pakistan. This was the first visit by a Russian prime minister in 38 years. They pledged to boost economic ties and signed agreements.
Economic Policy
During his time, Aziz strongly supported privatization and economic freedom. He opened large industries and state-owned companies to private businesses. As finance minister and prime minister, agriculture and construction grew well. He worked to free up trade and reduce tariffs. The highest tariffs were brought down significantly.
Pakistan's economic growth rate increased during his term. He successfully privatized many state-owned companies. However, some challenges remained in the economy.
Privatization
There was an attempt to privatize the Pakistan Steel Mills. This was stopped by workers and others who wanted the company to stay government-owned. Aziz said his privatization program made Pakistan's economy one of the fastest growing in the world.
Post-Premiership
Shaukat Aziz now lives in West London, United Kingdom. He serves on several boards and advisory groups. He has stayed in touch with many people from his government. In polls, his popularity changed over time. He continues to speak about economic issues. He has also criticized the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its role during the 2007–2008 financial crisis.
Images for kids
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Shaukat Aziz at the White House with US president George W. Bush, 24 January 2006.
See also
Template:Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Shaukat Aziz para niños
- List of prime ministers of Pakistan
- Government of Shaukat Aziz
- Privatization in Pakistan
- Market corporatisation
- 2008 Pakistani parliamentary election
