Usman Buzdar

Buzdar was born in May 1969 in Dera Ghazi Khan to Sardar Fateh Muhammad Buzdar.^[2][3] He belongs to the Buzdar clan, which is a Baloch tribe settled in southern Punjab.^[4] Buzdar received his early education from Government Boys Primary School in Barthi, Punjab.^[5][2] He completed his Intermediate-level education from a government college in Multan and received a bachelors degree in law from the Law College, Multan. It was there that he practiced law at consumer courts for three years.^[5] He received a master's degree in political science from Bahauddin Zakariya University.^[2][5]

He is known to have changed many political parties. In 2001, Buzdar joined Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q).^[5] In August 2001, he was elected Tehsil Nazim of Koh e Sulieman, a tribal area where he served until 2008.^[6][7]

He quit the PML-Q after 2008 general election and joined a forward bloc.^[8] According to another report, he remained politically affiliated with PML-Q until 2011.^[9]

He joined the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) prior to the 2013 general election and ran for the seat of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency PP-241 (Dera Ghazi Khan-II), but was defeated by Khawaja Muhammad Nizam-ul-Mehmood.^[10][11]

Prior to the 2018 general election, Buzdar along with other rogue PML-N members joined Janoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz, a bloc that advocated for the creation of South Punjab province.^[9] When Janoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz merged with the PTI in May 2018, Buzdar became a member of that party. He won the election to the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-286 Dera Ghazi Khan-II on a PTI ticket.^{[12][13][14][15]}

He was running for a seat in the Provincial Assembly from PP-286 as a candidate of PML-Z in the 2024 Punjab provincial election, until he abruptly was removed from the party by chairman Imran Khan on the 1 August 2023.^[16][17] But later he withdraw from 2024 election and his brother ran for seat as an independent candidate

 

On 17 August 2018, Imran Khan nominated Buzdar as PTI's candidate for the office of Chief Minister of Punjab.^[9] His nomination surprised many in the PTI and received widespread criticism as he was a lesser known figure in Pakistan's political spectrum.^{[18][19][20][21]} According to Khan, he chose to support Buzdar because Buzdar hailed from an economically backwards area of Punjab, so much so that he was the only member of the Punjab Assembly who "lacked electricity at his home".^[22] Other analysts claimed the selection was because Buzdar lacked an independent power base, competence and was thus totally reliant on Khan to hold on to office.^[22]

On 19 August 2018, he was elected as the Chief Minister. He received 186 votes against his opponent Hamza Shahbaz Sharif who secured 159 votes.^[23] He was sworn in on 20 August 2018.^[24]

After assuming the office as the Chief Minister of Punjab, Buzdar held consultations with Imran Khan and formed a 23-member cabinet. The 23-member cabinet was sworn in on 27 August 2018.^[25][26] The second part of his cabinet, consisting of 12 provincial ministers was sworn in on 13 September 2018 increasing the size of the cabinet to 35.^[27] Meanwhile Chaudhry Sarwar was made Governor of Punjab in Buzdar's government on 5 September 2018.^[28]

Under Buzdar's watch as the Chief Minister, five Inspector Generals of the Punjab Police were changed.^[31] He was largely and consistently criticized for his incompetence during his time as chief minister, and was criticized as one of the worst appointments Khan made during his tenure.^[22][32][33] It was later revealed that several PTI members including Jahangir Tareen and Asad Umar were against Buzdar's appointment as Chief Minister, and it was one of the major points of disagreement among Khan and other party members.^[34][35]

Usman Buzdar's administration made significant initiatives in expanding educational opportunities in underdeveloped regions, particularly South Punjab.^{[36][37][38][39]} His government established Punjab's first technical university in Dera Ghazi Khan, aimed at providing vocational and higher education in technical fields. Additionally, new campuses were developed, including Ghazi University's new campus and several degree colleges, with enhanced educational programs. His focus on improving the quality of education extended to solarizing schools in tribal regions.^[37] Upon taking office, in early 2019, he unveiled a five-year education policy titled “The New Deal” for the province to enroll 4.8 million children estimated to be out of school in Punjab into schools.^[40] The Buzdar government also oversaw the establishment of 12 new universities across Punjab, reinforcing the goal of transforming the province into a hub of quality higher education.^[41]

In 2020, he announced a university to be constructed in the city of Muzaffargarh in order to ensure that students were not having to leave the city to receive higher education.^[42] In 2021, he approved the allocation of Rs. 740 Billion for major reforms in the education sector in a three-year plan.^[43] Following this, he announced the construction of the Government Postgraduate College for Women, Shadab Training Institute and building of special education center in Kamoke each of which were worth Rs. 2.23 Billion and Rs. 8.3 Million.^[44] In the same statement he announced that universities in Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala and in other districts were underway.^[44][45][46]

As Chief Minister, Usman Buzdar prioritized implementing the Sehat Sahulat Program throughout Punjab.^{[47][48][49][50]} He launched the Insaaf Medicine Card under the program to facilitate people suffering from various diseases including AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.^[49] Buzdar’s government saw Yasmin Rashid oversee healthcare. He launched a province-wide health card program based in Lahore worth Rs. 400 Billion.^[47][51] His government prioritized wide ranging healthcare coverage, in which he stated his aim as millions of people benefiting from the Sehat Insaf Card and other healthcare cards in Punjab.^[48][52] In May 2021, Buzdar initiated a Rs. 13.80 billion uplift package for Layyah, in order to increase universal healthcare. The package introduced Rs. 725,000 of health insurance for families every year and in addition to this, five days’ medicine provided to patients. A mother & child hospital costing Rs. 5.73 billion was also completed alongside a solarization energy program.^[53] Furthermore, Buzdar’s administration saw the launching of the Punjab Naya Pakistan Sehat Card across Punjab, which Prime Minister Imran Khan said would serve 115 million people with health insurance and would improve medical facilities.^[50] In addition to this, Buzdar claimed that 25 hospitals were being set up across Punjab during the card’s launching in December 2021.^[50]

 

On 22 March 2020, Buzdar's government decided to close down shopping malls, markets, parks and public gathering places for two days until 24 March in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pakistan. Usman Buzdar urged people to stay at home, practice social distancing and avoid unnecessary travel.^[54] Buzdar announced a Rs. 10 billion relief package for financial support of 2.5 million families of daily-wage earners on 28 March. Each family was entitled to Rs. 4,000 financial assistance excluding the beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).^[55][56] The government also decided to remove provincial taxes to the tune of Rs. 18 billion. Buzdar said that the Punjab government had decided to grant a 90-day imprisonment rebate to prisoners in jails across the province which would benefit some 3,100 prisoners. Furthermore, the Punjab Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020, was implemented to allow the civil administration and health department to implement government measures with complete ease and under the cover of law. It was also declared that the government would provide a month's additional salary to all healthcare workers across Punjab.^[57][58] The Punjab Minister for Finance Hashim Jawan Bakht said that the economic package would also help the health sector and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) cope with the crisis with an immediate funding of Rs. 11.5 billion. Buzdar also stated that laboratories around the province would test 3,200 people every day for coronavirus and 10,000 doctors and paramedics were being recruited to fight the pandemic.^[59]

In 2019, Buzdar laid the foundation stone for the second phase of the Nishtar Hospital in Multan.^[60] The same year, Buzdar inaugurated a 52-km dual-carriageway from Dera Ghazi Khan to Muzaffargarh built at the cost of Rs. 13 billion, a vehicle inspection station and a cricket stadium, all in South Punjab.^[37] In March 2021, Buzdar unveiled "uplift" projects worth Rs. 25 billion for several districts in Punjab which focused on education and stadiums. In Gujranwala, he inaugurated the Ghakar Sports Arena, Gujranwala Arts Council Auditorium, a unit of a teaching hospital medical college and a 62.5 acres landfill site project.^[44][46] In August 2021, he inaugurated a Lights Network at Fort Munro, and a five-kilometer long Fort Munro-Langar Khandsar link road. Among other projects inaugurated in the area were a water supply scheme, a minor project to promote tourism, a Rescue 1122 station and a high school.^[61] In 2022, Buzdar inaugurated 21 projects at Shah Sulaiman Stadium in Taunsa Sharif. He also inaugurated the upgrade of the Government Girls High School Taunsa at a cost Rs. 90 million and the Government Boys Higher Secondary School Taunsa uplifting at cost of Rs. 47.2 million.^[62] The same year, he inaugurated the Saggian Road-Sharaqpur Road rehabilitation project for a cost of Rs. 4.32 billion.^[63]

On 28 March 2022, Buzdar offered his resignation as Chief Minister of Punjab to Prime Minister Imran Khan to ease the political crises surrounding no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.^[64]

On 1 April 2022, his resignation was accepted by the Governor of Punjab, but he remained in office till the appointment of the new Chief Minister.^[65][66] Buzdar was set to be replaced by Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, leader of PML-Q.^[67]

On 30 April 2022, he left office of Chief Minister when Hamza Shahbaz took oath as newly elected Chief Minister.

Following his nomination for the office of Chief Minister of Punjab in August 2018, reports had surfaced that a police case was registered against Buzdar and his father Sardar Fateh for their involvement in the murder of at least six people during local body elections in 1998.^[7] According to reports, an anti-terrorism court in Dera Ghazi Khan found Buzdar guilty and convicted him in January 2000.^{[68][69][70][71]} Buzdar's father later allegedly paid Rs 7.5 million as blood money to the victim's family to settle the murder case through a jirga.^{[72][73][14][74]} On 22 August 2018, Geo News claimed that it was a case of mistaken identity and that Buzdar was not the same person who was accused for the murders.^[75][76]

According to police reports, around 1982 about 60 acres of state land was “bogusly mutated” in favour of Fateh Muhammad Buzdar’s sons, therefore Usman Buzdar and his two younger brothers. An inquiry was later launched into the case, states the FIR, which found that the land was indeed “malafidely, illegally, and through fraud, in connivance with revenue officials” given to Usman Buzdar, Umar Buzdar and Tahir Buzdar in 1982, while the deed was finalised in 1986. The transfer was also illegal, as all three brothers at the time were minors. At the time the ages of the brothers were: Usman Buzdar, 13, Umar Buzdar, 12, and Tahir Buzdar, 3. The complainant had asked for the allotment to be cancelled and the land to be returned.^[77] The court would later deem Buzdar innocent in the matter.^[78]

During his tenure as Nazim, Buzdar was accused of making 300 bogus appointments.^[7][79] An application was filed against him in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in September 2016, however NAB failed to carry out investigation.^[80] Buzdar's brother denied the accusation, claiming NAB was unable to find evidence against Buzdar, after which the case was closed.^[7]

In April 2019, after death of his father, he was made tumandar of the Baloch tribe of Buzdar. He is married to Begum Safia Usman and has 4 daughters.^[81]

According to documents submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan in 2018, Buzdar declared his assets worth Rs. 25 million. He declared that he owns three tractors and two cars worth Rs 2.4 million and worth Rs 3.6 million, respectively.^[82]