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Prime minister , Islamic Republic of Pakistan SYED YOUSAF RAZA GILLANI
Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani (born June 9, 1952) is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was nominated by Pakistan Peoples Party, with the support of coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement on 22 March 2008. He took oath from President Pervez Musharraf on 25 March 2008. Yousaf Raza Gillani is the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan from the Saraiki-speaking belt. Another Saraiki-speaking politician, Balakh Sher Mazari, served as the caretaker prime minister for a brief period in 1993.
Gillani is also the present vice chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a former Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan (1993-1997) and former Federal minister (1985-1986). He has publicly vowed to restore the judges of the superior courts by the 16 April 2008, which is the key demand of PML-N
Makhdoom Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani belongs to an influential and spiritual Shi'a Muslim family of Multan, born on June 9, 1952 in Karachi, Pakistan. His father was a descendant of Syed Musa Pak, a leading Sufi spiritual figure of Multan of the Qadiri Sufi Order of Shi'a Islam. Syed Musa Pak hailed from the Iranian province of Gilan. One of Gillani's maternal aunt is the wife of Pir Pagara. Makhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is married and has four sons and one daughter, Fiza Gillani and one grandson. The eldest son of Yousaf Raza Gillani, Makhdoom Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani, will marry the grand-daughter of Pir Pagara on March 25, 2008 in Karachi. Gillani recieved early education at La Salle High School at Multan. He graduated with BA in 1970 and MA in Journalism from University of the Punjab, Lahore in 1976.
Political career
Yousuf Raza Gillani began his political journey from the platform of Pakistan Muslim League during General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law in 1978. He joined the Muslim League's Central Working Committee. He was also a cabinet member in the three-year government of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. He served as Minister of Housing and Works from April 1985 to January 1986 and Railways Minister from January 1986 to December 1986.
After a short stint with the Muslim League, Gillani become part of the Pakistan Peoples Party in 1988 and has since remained PPP's loyal and steadfast supporter. In the Benazir Bhutto government of 1988-1990, Gillani was again a cabinet minister: He was Minister of Tourism from March 1989 to January 1990 and again served as Minister of Housing and Works from January 1990 to August 1990.
In the Benazir government of 1993-1996, Gillani was elected the Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan, which he stayed till February 1997.
He has been elected various times as Member of National Assembly from Multan. In the 2008 general election, he beat PML-Q leader Sikandar Hayat Bosan.
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