Introduction:

Raja Pervez Ashraf, the nominated prime minister of Pakistan, was born on December 26, 1950 in Sanghar, Sindh. He formerly served as the federal minister for water and power and information and technology in the coalition government led by Paksitan People’s Party (PPP), Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP).

Ashraf received an undergraduate degree from University of Sindh in 1970. He hails from a family of agriculturists and that remained his occupation until he joined center-left PPP, and made Gujar Khan his new home.

He was elected twice as the member of National Assembly from his constituency of Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi.

Ashraf has been accused of receiving kickback in a rental power project and is currently defending himself in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He has also been accused of buying foreign property from illegal money. The Supreme Court declared him involved in the rental power project scam and revoked his power as the minister for water and power. However, when the federal cabinet expanded, he was given the ministry of information and technology.

Nominated Prime Minister of Pakistan:

After the official disqualification of Yousuf Raza Gilani on June 19, the allied parties nominated Qamar Zaman Kaira, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Chaudhry Mukhtar Ahmed and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf for the position of PM.

However, the allied parties unanimously nominated Ashraf as the new prime minister of Pakistan.

The lower house of parliament was summoned to vote in the new prime minister at 5:30 pm on June 22 which voted in favour of Ashraf, electing him as the 17th prime minister of the country.

Arrest orders by the Supreme Court:

During a hearing of the rental power projects case on Jan 15, 2013, the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued arrest orders for Raja Pervez Ashraf, the sitting Prime Minister of Pakistan, just months before the country was set to head towards general elections.

The apex court ordered the arrest of 16 persons, including the premier, and directed the authorities to present PM Ashraf in court on Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013.