Malak Zafar Azam

Raza Rahman Khan

Working as provincial minister for law and parliamentary affairs, Malik Zafar Azam is an important member of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government in North Western Frontier Province. He comes from district Karak and belongs to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), the largest component of the Majlis.

He did his graduation from Islamia College, Peshawar and obtained his law degree from the Gomal University. After serving a stint as a liaison officer at Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC, he took up residence in the United States. He returned to Pakistan in 1983 and became a member of district council Karak.

Though his earlier attempts to win a provincial assembly seat remained unsuccessful, he won as an independent candidate in 1993 and was made the provincial minister for public health in Aftab Sherapao-led PPP government.

After the government was overthrown, he went to the US again to look after his business there.In 2002 elections, he reclaimed his provincial assembly seat and was allotted one of the most important portfolios in MMA's provincial cabinet. Considered a policy hawk, he has been quite consequential in setting the direction for the religious alliance's government.