Wasim Sajjad

Wasim Sajjad
President of Pakistan Acting
In office 2 December 1997 – 1 January 1998
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by	Farooq Leghari
Succeeded by	Rafiq Tarar
In office 18 July 1993 – 14 November 1993
Prime Minister	Benazir Bhutto Moeenuddin Qureshi (Acting)
Preceded by	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Succeeded by	Farooq Leghari
Chairman of the Senate
In office 24 December 1988 – 12 October 1999
Preceded by	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Succeeded by	Mohammad Soomro
Interior of Pakistan
In office 29 March 1987 – 28 July 1987
President	Zia-ul-Haq
Prime Minister	Muhammad Junejo
Preceded by	Nadir Pervez
Succeeded by	Aslam Khattak
Law and Justice Minister of Pakistan
In office 20 September 1986 – 4 December 1988
President	Zia-ul-Haq
Prime Minister	Muhammad Junejo
Preceded by	Aitzaz Ahsan
Succeeded by	Sharifuddin Pirzada
Personal details
Born	Wasim Sajjad 30 March 1941 Jalandhar, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, India)
Citizenship	Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (2002–present)
Other political affiliations	Islami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Relations	Humza Sheikh Irfan
Alma mater	Punjab University BA, MA Oxford University LLB, MA Inns of Court School of Law Barrister-at-Law
Cabinet	Zia Cabinet
Religion	Islam
Website	Senate biography

Wasim Sajjad (Urdu: وسیم سجاد‎; born 30 March 1941), is a Pakistani retired statesman, lawyer, diplomat, professor of law, conservative and Rhodes scholar who served as the Acting President of Pakistan in two nonconsective terms (1996–97; July 1993–November 1993), as well as Chairman of Senate from 1988 until 1999.^[1]

A technocrat in senate, he is the longest–serving Chairman of Senate, serving in that capacity from 1988 until 1999.^[2] Originally representing the PML(N), Sajjad defected to defecting group that supported Pervez Musharraf and has been its Member since 1999. In addition, he favourably nominated to become the Chief Justice of Pakistan in 2003 after the retirement of Sheikh Riaz Ahmad but he declined the offer and preferred to stick to his law profession.^[3]

After retiring from the national politics, he has been serving as Chancellor of the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, chairman of the Youth Hostels Association and the national secretary for the Rhodes Scholarship in Pakistan.^[4]

Political career and President of Pakistan

His political career began in the 1980s when he was elected to the Pakistani Senate. He served as the Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary affairs, and also held the portfolio of the Federal Minister for Interior, under the Government of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. He moved up to Chairman of the Senate in 1988, and served his first term as President in 1993, following the resignation of Ghulam Ishaq Khan. As interim president, Sajjad was essentially a placeholder for the office until elections were completed. He would run in the election for President, but was defeated by Farooq Leghari. In 1997, Sajjad was again made interim President and stepped down upon the election of Muhammad Rafiq Tarar.

In 2002, Sajjad was accused of mis-use of government vehicles and phones, amounting to millions of rupees. He was ordered to pay a fine, but served no time in jail.^[5]

As Chairman of the Senate he has led parliamentary delegations in a number of countries including Trinidad, New Zealand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Australia, France, United States, Canada, Japan, Thailand and Chile.

Political positions

He was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in 1985, 1991, 1997, 2003 and again in 2006.He also held the Office of the Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs from September 1986 to December 1988. Also held the portfolio of the Federal Minister for Interior & Narcotics Control He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in 1988. Sajjad was elected as chairman, Senate of Pakistan, in December 1988 and re elected as chairman, Senate, in 1991, 1994 & 1997, for a term of three years each time. He has thus been chairman Senate for about twelve years which is the longest period for any chairman Senate in Pakistan. He has acted as President of Pakistan on numerous occasions during absence of the President from Pakistan. He was the President of Pakistan from July to November 1993 (During this period, general elections were held in the country and power was transferred to the elected government). He once again became the President of Pakistan from December 1997 to January 1998. He served as the Leader of the House in the Senate of Pakistan from March 2003 to March 2008.^[6]

See also

• Establishment (Pakistan)
• List of Pakistani heads of state or government
• List of Pakistanis
• Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan
• Acting President of Pakistan
• National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences
• Ministry of Interior

References

1. Govt. Pakistan. "Wasim Sajjad: A Senator's work". http://www.senate.gov.pk/. Senate Secretariat Press. Retrieved 2 February 2015. External link in |website= (help)
2. Scholar of the Week. "Pakistan's Rhodes Scholars". http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/. Scholar of the Week. Retrieved 2 February 2015. External link in |website= (help)
3. Ashraf Mumtaz (18 September 2006). "Wasim Sajjad declined to become CJP". Dawn. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
4. FAST-NU. "Officers of University". http://www.nu.edu.pk/. FAST-NU. Retrieved 2 February 2015. External link in |website= (help)
5. Maryam Hussain (2002). "Wasim Sajjad off the Hook, while others rot in jail". South Asia Tribune. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
6. http://www.senate.gov.pk/en/profile.php?uid=107