Political History of Multan and role of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed as Parliamentarian
At the outset, I would like to say the time has come that we should start thinking positive about our people and our beloved Pakistan, why we always have to think negative about any incident? Switching political party is not a new thing in Pakistan. Let me refresh our memories PML- N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was an active member of Tehrik-e-Istiqlal in 1970s which was formed by Air Marshal Retd Asghar Khan and later on he switched to Pakistan Muslim League.
Leaders do not become Leaders on their own, ordinary people like us make them Leaders by liking and praising them. Sheikh Muhammad
Tahir Rasheeds name may be new to youth but their elders would remember him and his father Late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed very well.
All of us have been trying to analyse the Characters of Politicians in general and character of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed EX MNA Multan who has recently joined PTI in particular. Before I give some information about him, I would like to tell you about his father late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed who was a strong Opposition Leader in Municipal Corporation Multan in 1979 and later on selected by General Zia ul Haq as Member of Majlis e Shoura in 1982 for his political strength in Multan. Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed was elected as MNA in 1985 in a NON PARTY BASED Elections.
In 1987 Tahir Rasheed had elected as councillor of Multan Municipal Corporation and his father Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed had an option to make him (Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed) as Mayor of Multan. Since, Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed was also President of Trader Chambers Multan and he had the support of majority of councillors to make anyone Mayor of Multan. However, Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed being sitting MNA at that time announced Salahuddin Dogar who was also sitting MPA at that time and is currently Senator from PPP as his candidate for the post of Mayor of Multan. Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed and his son Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed are known to keep their promises at any cost. Since, Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed had promised Salahuddin Dogar to support him in the upcoming elections of Municipal Corporation of Multan because he had been working hard for the people of Multan.
However, Salahuddin Dogar showed his true colour by betraying the trust of Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed and all councillors who had casted their votes in his favour. After being elected as Mayor he turned out to be the most corrupt Mayor of Multan by passing tender of 5 Kores (50 Million Pak Rupees) in one day, showing completion of work on the same day in papers and also releasing the funds of 5 Kores to his own contractors on the same day. Not only that the worst thing was Municipal Corporation Multan did not have availability of 5 Kores into their account, Salahuddin Dogar ordered transfer of funds from Pension Funds of Workers of Municipal Corporation Multan. Thus depriving poor workers from their Pensions and later on managed to set the record of this corruption to fire in a so called fire in the office of Municipal Corporation of Multan. Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed who had become the most vocal councillor of that time unveiled corruption of Salahuddin Dogar on the floor of Municipal Corporation Multan and announced that him and his father Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed withdrew their support extended to Salahuddin Dogar as he had deprived poor workers by indulging himself in corruption. Salahuddin Dogar has spent a considerable time in Jail on these charges of corruption. Yet he is a Senator in the present regime.
Now I would like to shed light on the popularity of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef / PML in Multan in late 1980s. Although Nawaz Shareef had served as Chief Minister of Punjab from 1985-1988, he could not win election from Multan, Punjab. He had decided to contest for the post of MNA from NA 114 Multan against Yousaf Raza Gillani. But Nawaz Shareef was defeated by Yousaf Raza.
This election showed how popular Nawaz Shareef was in Multan. Since then Nawaz Shareef has never opted to contest from Multan again.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani ..: Hamara Multan :..
1988
By this time, Non party system was over and Pakistan Muslim League was in existence under the presidency of Former Prime Minister Late Muhammad Khan Junejo while Mian Nawaz Shareef was President of Punjab Pakistan Muslim League. It was when Nawaz Shareef approached Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed (Father of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed) who was the most respected and powerful Politician in Urban Multan to help them introduce Pakistan Muslim League in Multan. Late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed was announced as President of Pakistan Muslim League Multan and he retained that post till he died in 2003.
Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed along with his son Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed started promoting Pakistan Muslim League in Multan by working hard day and night and by opening more than 400 offices of Pakistan Muslim League in every street of Multan. Around this time Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (or IJI) was formed to oppose the Pakistan Peoples Party in elections. The alliance comprised nine parties, of which the major components were the Pakistan Muslim League, National Peoples Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam with PML accounting for 80% of the IJI's electoral candidates.
1990
In 1990 Elections were announced and Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed was given IJI ticket for MPA from PP-163 Multan. In 1993, Tahir Rasheed was one of 20 MPAs from the entire Punjab Assembly and the only MPA from Southern Punjab who stood by Nawaz Sharif and Late Haider Wayne Former Chief Minister of Punjab when vote of no confidence was moved against Haider Wayne in Punjab Assembly. Since the politicians from Southern Punjab never wanted to stay in opposition.
SPEAKER
1993
By now Tahir Rasheed had a big name in Multan and in November 1993 President Farooq Leghari called for fresh elections. Majority of ticket holders of Pakistan Muslim League part of IJI from Multan had left Nawaz Shareef. For example, Tanveer Giliani cousin of Yousaf Raza Gillani who had elected as MNA on IJI Ticket in 1990 had moved on to PPP. It was a very difficult time for PML-N in Multan. But, nonetheless, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed remained hopeful and suggested Nawaz Shareef to let him award party tickets to new team of hard working political workers. Nawaz Shareef wanted Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed to contest for the post of MNA from NA-116 while Nawaz Shareef wanted to award Party ticket for MPA from PP-163 to Mian Mukhtar Ahmad father of Ex- District Nazim Multan Mian Faisal Mukhtar who had given 30 Lacs Rupees to Nawaz Shareef for Party funds. Tahir Rasheed disagreed with Nawaz Shareefs option to award ticket to Mian Mukhtar Ahmad. Since, Tahir Rasheed had already started campaign in the constituency with Late Rana Noor-ul Hassan ( father of Rana Mehmood-ul Hassan current MNA from Multan). In the end Nawaz Shareef accepted Tahir Rasheeds suggestion to award tickets to new people. In that election, Tahir Rasheed contested for the post of MNA from NA 116 while he recommended ticket for PP-163 to be awarded to Rana Noor ul Hassan and ticket for PP-162 to Haji Ehsaan uddin (Current Provincial Minister). For NA 115, Nawaz Shareef awarded ticket to Late Haji Muhammad Boota for MNA from NA 115 on the recommendation of Late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed. While Hafiz Iqbal Khawakwani (Ex-Provincial Minister Punjab) was awarded ticket for PP 160 and Maulvi Sultan Alam Ansari was awarded ticket for PP 161. On the election day hard work done by Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed and his son Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed paid off and Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed along with his entire team won 2 seat of MNAs (NA 115, Na 116) and 4 seats of MPAs (PP160, 161,162 & 163) thus covering entire urban Multan under the local leadership of Late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed.
After being elected as MNA, Tahir Rasheed started to address every issue of Multan in National Assembly and started to unveil corruption of PPP especially Surrey Palace Scandal. As a result in 1994, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed was sent behind the bars for fourteen months in a forged murder case by PPP. Tahir Rasheed was the first parliamentarian from Southern Punjab to be sent to jail while Haji Muhammad Boota was second.
Principled Prime Minister : Yousuf Raza Gillani | The Pakistani Spectator
Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed was arrested in 1994 and released on bail in 1995. This fact was also reported in Pakistan Human Rights Practices, 1995 written by U.S. Department of State
The Government selectively used criminal charges and arrest to harass political opponents. The Government continued to detain one senator from the Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif Group (PML/N), who was arrested in 1994. Three PML/N members of the National Assembly (MNA) arrested in 1994 were released on bail in 1995. The opposition alleged credibly that the Government put political pressure on the judiciary to deny or delay bail to the arrested politicians.
1995 Human Rights Report: PAKISTAN
When elections were held in 1997, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed returned to parliament as MNA with his entire team.
Election Commission of Pakistan
In 1997, Sheikh Tahir Rasheed became a member of Parliamentary Steering Committee (PSC). This was created in response to UNDP 's assistance to enhance the professional capacity of the parliamentarians and National Assembly Secretariat and to support other democratic processes.
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Tahir Rasheed has always believed in freedom of speech. In 1997 he had raised his voice to bring all the member of house in the radio and TV programmes. Which you can see now they are so many TV channels and radio channels. Whereas it was only PTV in 1997.
http://www.karachipage.com/news/august97/082397.txt
In 1998
Sheikh Tahir Rashid was one of the foremost supporter of the resolution saying the decision to set off Nuclear Devices was the most crucial juncture in our 50 year history. Pakistani Leadership took the decision at a right time.
http://www.fas.org/news/pakistan/1998/06/980608-ptv.htm
In 2002, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed did not participate. However, in 2003 he was aspirant for the slot of District Nazim Multan as a representative of PML N. Although, Local bodies elections are held on non party basis but parties do play a cardinal role in these elections. Since, local bodies elections form basis for general elections. In that election, Tahir Rasheed faced opposition even from within his party ranks. For instance, Javed Hashmi as President of PML N despite announcing Tahir Rasheed as Candidate of PML-N, favoured Pir Riaz (who was brother of Birg. Maqsood school fellow of Javed Hashmi) under cover.
Moreover, it was unknown to public at that time as to why Javed Hashmi would not support his fellow party member. But now it makes sense that Javed Hashmi wanted to contest from the constituency presently NA 149 urban Multan where Tahir Rasheed had been elected twice as MNA. So that he can be called as elected MNA from Multan. Since, he keeps on losing from his home town Jehaniyiah to Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Nawaz Shareef had been obliging Javed Hashmi by letting him contesting in bye elections from his own seats from Lahore so that he remains in Parliament.
Multan Nazim election today: Feudals, bureaucracy bet on same horse -DAWN - National; July 14, 2003
The most-asked question to the local political analysts by a common man is how it has been possible that all the traditional political rival groups in the district Gilanis, Bosans, Hashmis, Qureshis, Diwans, Laangs, Noons and Syeds have ignored their previous bitter political relations to join hands for the victory of Pir Riaz.
In the District Nazim Multan election PML-N stalwart Javed Ali Shah had announced support publicly for Pir Riaz instead of his party comrade. It is also said that the real Top Leadership of PML-N did not take any notice of as to why PML-N's legislators and activists supported Pir Riaz instead of Tahir Rasheed.
Multan Nazim election today: Feudals, bureaucracy bet on same horse -DAWN - National; July 14, 2003
Thus ignoring the fact Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed was the one who had worked day and night in urban Multan in 1980s to promote PML N in Multan when even Nawaz Shareef had lost the seat from Multan. In mid 1990s Carvan e- Nijjat was started by PML N and it was started from Multan under the supervision of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed . After loosing the premiership and to launch movements against government Nawaz Shareef had turned to Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed in Multan to start Carvan-e-Nijjat.
2005
Tahir Rasheed believed that Muslim League had created Pakistan and a true Leaguer cannot harmonise with those who have themselves or supported those who have divided Pakistan (i.e. Creation of Bangladesh in 1971). He believed that ARD was created not for restoration of democracy rather to gain power on turn by turn basis. Therefore, he decided to join hands with PMLQ on 07 August 2005
Leaguers cant harmonize with PPP: Pervaiz -DAWN - National; August 8, 2005
2011
PMLQ has gone back on their promises and now joined with PPP which is not acceptable to nation of Pakistan. A true politician should listen to the voice of nation of Pakistan and make decisions for the betterment of the nation of Pakistan. Therefore, now its the time to change and act in the right direction by choosing and supporting those politicians that have impeccable past and have a desire to address the problems of the nation and ensure Pakistan emerges as one of the best country of the world.
So in reality Pakistan Muslim League was introduced in Multan by Late Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed father of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed. If PML N can get support of Nation of Pakistan at that time so why cant Imran Khan can get support of youth now? Imran Khan is the only hope for betterment of Pakistan. So lets vote and support Imran and our Pakistan.