Muhammad Safdar Awan

Muhammad Safdar Awan (Hindko and Urdu: قطری دلال صفدر اعوان; born 19 January 1964) is a Pakistani politician and retired Pakistan Army officer who has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2008 to May 2018.

Muhammad Safdar Awan
محمد صفدراعوان
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018
ConstituencyNA-21 (Mansehra-cum-Tor Ghar)
In office
June 2008 – March 2013
ConstituencyNA-52 (Rawalpindi-III)
Personal details
Born (1964-01-19) 19 January 1964
Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Political partyPakistan Muslim League (N)
SpouseMaryam Nawaz
RelationsSajjad Awan (brother)
NicknameCaptain Safdar

He is married to the PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz.

Often referred as Captain Safdar by his loyalists and in the media due to his past military career, because of his critical stance on secularism, his vocal support of Mumtaz Qadri and his repeated statements targeting the Ahmadiyya movement, he's generally considered to be a far-right politician.[1]

Early and personal life

According to PILDAT, Safdar was born on 19 January 1963.[2] According to The News International and Dawn, he was born on 19 January 1964.[3][4]

Safdar belongs to a traditionally Sufi family and his father Muhammad Ishaq, who passed away in 2014, was a writer, being a poet and an essayist specialized in Islamic affairs. His elder brother Sajjad Awan is also a politician. He also has a younger brother, Tahir Awan.[5] One of his daughter was born out of wedlock.

He joined the Pakistan Army after completing his early education.[3]

Safdar married Maryam Nawaz in 1992 while he was serving as captain in the Pakistan Army[6] and has been the ADC to Nawaz Sharif during the latter's tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan.[7][8] After retiring from the Pakistan Army as captain[9] he joined the civil services and was posted as Lahore Model Town assistant commissioner.[3][10]

Political career

Safdar joined politics after returning to Pakistan in 2007 along with the Sharif family.[3]

He was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) from Constituency NA-52 (Rawalpindi-III) in the by-election held in June 2008.[11] He received 54,917 votes[12] and defeated a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (Q).[13] The seat was vacated by Nisar Ali Khan.[3]

In 2011, Safdar was made the chief organiser of the PML-N Youth Wing.[3][14]

In 2012, he was suspended from PML-N for verbally abusing leaders of PML-N.[3][15]

Safdar was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-21 (Mansehra-cum-Tor Ghar) in 2013 Pakistani general election.[16][17] He received 91,013 votes and a candidate of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F).[18]

In May 2016, Safdar was reported to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by Imran Khan for concealing Maryam Nawaz’ assets. He denied it, however he was still summoned by ECP in June 2016.[19][20]

In June 2018, he was allocated PML-N ticket to contest the 2018 general election from Constituency NA-14 (Mansehra-cum-Torghar).[21]

In July 2018, he was sentenced to one-year jail term in the Avenfield corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau.[22] As a result, he was disqualified from contesting election for 10 years.[23] The next day, he arrived in Rawalpindi and surrendered to the authorities.[24] In September 2018, he was released on bail over the Avenfield corruption charges.[25]

On 19 October 2020, Safdar was arrested from a Karachi hotel for “violating the sanctity of Quaid's mausoleum” and was released on bail the same day.[26]

Political views

Secularism

Safdar has been called "a vocal critic of secular politicians."[27]

Blasphemy law

In 2012, he publicly supported Islamic fundamentalist Mumtaz Qadri[28][29] who assassinated former Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer for speaking against the blasphemy law.[30]

Ahmadiyya community

He has often been involved in spreading hatred against the persecuted Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan and called for a ban on hiring Ahmadis in the armed forces and other important institutions of the country.[31] He has been criticized for his statements against a vulnerable minority and using it for political gains.[32]

References
  1. Sarfraz, Mehmal (12 October 2017). "Shifting towards the Right". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  2. "Detail Information". www.pildat.org. PILDAT. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "Profile: Capt Safdar, from military man to first 'son-in-law'". DAWN.COM. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  4. "If elections are held on time…". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  5. "Warrants for Capt Safdar, brother cancelled in land dispute case". Dawn News. 24 December 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  6. "Material, not evidence, submitted: SC". The News. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  7. "Meet the 'first sons-in-law'". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  8. Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (27 October 2017). "In Pakistani Fray, Maryam Sharif Is on the Edge of Power, or Prison". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  9. "Capt Safdar assails PM Office, bureaucrats". DAWN.COM. 19 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  10. "'Termination notice' to Capt Safdar". DAWN.COM. 14 January 2004. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  11. "Capt (R) Safdar likely to be next KP PML-N chief". The News. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. "PML-N, PPP make gains". DAWN.COM. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  13. Yasin, Aamir (6 May 2013). "Traditional rivals face to face in NA-52". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  14. "Sharifs' nepotism angers senior PML-N leaders". pakistantoday. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  15. "Family matters: Nawaz's son-in-law suspended from PML-N - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 29 July 2012. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  16. "Trend continues: Family names once again dominate polls - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  17. Correspondent, The Newspaper's (13 May 2013). "PML-N's grip on Hazara intact". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  18. "2013 election result" (PDF). ECP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  19. "ECP calls PM's son-in-law on June 1". Samaa TV. 23 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  20. "PM's son-in-law summoned for concealing wife's assets". DAWN.COM. 24 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  21. Report, Bureau (15 June 2018). "PML-N names candidates for 25 NA seats". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  22. "Guilty: Nawaz given 10 years, Maryam 7". DAWN.COM. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  23. "AC announces 10 years imprisonment to Nawaz". The Nation. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  24. "Capt Safdar arrives in Rawalpindi to 'surrender to authorities'". DAWN.COM. 8 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  25. "Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar released from Adiala jail after IHC suspends Avenfield sentences". 19 September 2018.
  26. "Capt Safdar arrested from Karachi hotel for 'violating sanctity of Quaid's mausoleum'". DAWN.com. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  27. Lyon, Stephen (2019). Political Kinship in Pakistan: Descent, Marriage, and Government Stability. Lexington Books. p. 98.
  28. "Captain Safdar's hate speech". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  29. Nasir, Abbas (15 April 2017). "Outrage fatigue". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  30. Asad, Malik (10 March 2015). "Qadri acquitted of terror charge; murder conviction upheld". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  31. Dawn.com (10 October 2017). "PML-N's Capt Safdar lashes out against Ahmadis, faces backlash on social media". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  32. "Social media erupts over Capt Safdar's speech against Ahmadis". The Express Tribune. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
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