Ameen Faheem

Makhdoom Muhammad Ameen Faheem (alt. spelling: Amin Fahim) (Sindhi: مخدوم محمد امين فھيم, Urdu: مخدوم محمد امین فہیم, born 4 August, 1939) is a senior member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, where he serves as the senior vice chairman, and its head in the parliament. He also holds the cabinet portfolio of Senior Federal Minister for Commerce. Makhdoom Amin Fahim is chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians in National Assembly of Pakistan and parliamentary Leader of his party in National Assembly of Pakistan. He also served as Federal Minister during Benazir Bhutto's tenure. He is the Commerce Minister of Zardari's government.

Early years

Makhdoom Sahab, was born in Makhdoom family of Hala, which is located 200 km off the southern port city of Karachi, on August 4, 1939. His father, Makhdoom Muhammmad Zaman "Talib-ul-Mola", the spiritual leader of Sarwari Jammat of Pakistan, was one of the founding members of the PPP in 1967. Makhdoom Muhammad Zaman "Talib ul Mola" was a great poet and was elected MNA from the same area as his son. Later, Makhdoom Muhammad Zaman was also offered many high posts in the time of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, but he refused and chose to stay in Hala and look after his Sarwari Jamaat.

Makhdoom Muhammad Amin Fahim did his matriculation in 1955 and intermediate in 1957 in his native town Hala. In 1958, he got admission in political science department of Sindh University, and completed his bachelors in 1961.^{[citation needed]}

Political career

Known as a humble politician, Makhdoom Sahab entered in the political arena in 1970 when he was elected as member National Assembly from southern Thatta district of Sindh province. Since then, he has so far contested eight elections in 1977, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997,2002, 2007 and remained undefeated. Makhdoom Amin Fahim, however, boycotted the non-party elections of 1985 held by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq-led military regime in line with the decision of his party. In 1993 he contested as MPA and MNA, and was the only Parliamentarian in Pakistan to win both the seats unopposed, after that he gave up the MPA seat to his younger brother and he even came unnopposed on it . Makhdoom Sahab was later offered the post of prime minister in 2002 by General Pervez Musharraf, keeping in mind Benazir's refusal to appoint Mr. Amin Fahim's son Makhdoom Jameel Zaman as the Chief Minister Sindh, though he was offered the prime mininstership thrice before in 1988, 1990, and 1993, but he remained loyal to Peoples Party and did not accept offers from Nawaz Sharif and the military dictators. Makhdoom Amin Fahim is currently the Vice-Chairman of the PPP, and is also the Parliamentary Leader, (president) of the same party in the National Assembly. He was a federal minister in both of Benazir Bhutto governments. He was Communications Minister from December 1988 to August 1990 and Railways Minister from December 1988 to March 1989. In the second government, he was Minister for Housing and Works from January 1994 to November 1996.

Personal life

Makhdoom Amin Fahim is also the leader of the largest spiritual group of people called the "Sarwari Jamaat" in Pakistan, consisting of more than 6 million people across the world, it was recorded that Sarwari Jamaat consisted of 1 million people 300 years back

Amin Fahim has been involved in the NICL Multi Billion rupees scandal.^[1] Many party members of various political parties of Pakistan are embroiled in such kick back schemes. National Accountability Bureau NAB was created to tackle such issues. Although not a complete success, it has assisted ruling parties in detaining rival party factions.

Amin Faheem's son , Makdhoum Najeeb, has been barred from travelling out of the UAE due to a bounced cheque.^[2] He was told to report to the Jebel Ali Police Station as there was a case against him for a bounced cheque which he gave to a free zone authority as part of a business deal. It was then discovered that the Free Zone Authority had erroneously presented the rent cheque to the bank even though the offices for which it had been given the Post Dated Cheque had already been handed back to the Free Zone authority a month earlier. The freezone apologised and lifted the case on him immediately. ^[3]

Although being a senior member of Pakistan's ruling political party, PPP, and Senior Federal Minister for Commerce, he lives in Dubai, UAE.

Career after Benazir Bhutto

Makhdoom Amin Fahim was mentioned as a possible chairman for the PPP in the wake of the December 27, 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto,^[4] but Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari were named party co-chairs and he was considered the party's probable candidate for Prime Minister.^[5] However, the PPP hesitated to name Mr. Makhdoom as its candidate following its victory in the February 2008 election. It was suggested that Asif Ali Zardari might be reluctant to nominate Makhdoom Amin Fahim as Prime Minister because he is worried that Faheem could strengthen his political base in Sindh and threaten the influence of the Bhutto family there.^[6]

On 15 March 2008, Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that he did not understand why the PPP had still not named him as its candidate. According to Faheem, if Zardari wanted to take the position for himself, he would support him.^[7]

Later, the PPP nominated Yousaf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister on March 22, 2008. Although this was viewed as a snub to Mr. Amin Fahim, he said that he would not leave the PPP and had the "best wishes" for Gilani.^[8] Amin Fahim, however, was made the Commerce Minister of Pakistan in November 2008 shuffle as a consolation.

Poetry

Initially, Makhdoom Amin Fahim was more interested in poetry than politics. However, he had no choice but to jump into the fray as the political heir of Makhdoom family. "Poetry is my first love. I am still fond of saying verses and reading poetry of others", Faheem says. His forte is mystic poetry. His poetry speaks about love, peace, and simplicity. "I have always been fond of the poetry of Maulana Rumi, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, and Sachal Sarmast. Their poetry has left a deep impact on my life. I have learnt from them (poets) to be loyal to loved ones in good or rainy days", he says. "I don't believe in ruling the people. I believe in ruling their hearts. That is why my voters love me, and they never disappointed me", he opines.

References

1. ^ "Karachi land deal: FIA links Amin Fahim to NICL scam" The Tribune 20 May, 2011
2. ^ "Pakistan minister's son barred from leaving" Gulf News 19 September, 2011
3. ^ [1] Gulf News 20 September, 2011
4. ^ David Rohde, "Musharraf’s Political Future Appears Troubled", The New York Times, December 28, 2007.
5. ^ "Revenge mission that will have to wait" The Times 31 December, 2007
6. ^ Jo Johnson, "Party fails to name PM candidate", Financial Times, March 7, 2008.
7. ^ "Pakistan: Bhutto party says PM candidate to be named next week", Associated Press International Herald Tribune, March 15, 2008.
8. ^ "Bhutto's party names Pakistani PM candidate" Associated Press (MSNBC), March 22, 2008.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/138744/scandalous-land-deal-senior-federal-minister-among-nicl-beneficiaries-says-fia/

Persondata
Name	Muhammad Amin Fahim, Makhdoom
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1939
Place of birth	Hala
Date of death
Place of death