Yousaf Raza Gillani

Yousaf Raza Gillani is a senior Pakistani politician of the Pakistan Peoples Party who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012 and as Chairman of the Senate since 2024. Born on 9 June 1952 in Multan into the spiritually revered Gilani family of the region, he was educated at Forman Christian College in Lahore.

Political career

Gillani was first elected to the National Assembly in 1988 and served as Speaker of the National Assembly from 1993 to 1997. Imprisoned during the Musharraf era for allegedly orchestrating the killing of a journalist, he was freed after the 2007 elections and became Prime Minister in 2008 at the head of the PPP-led coalition, succeeding Benazir Bhutto's party after her assassination.

His premiership was defined by the fight against militancy, the 2010 floods, and the passage of the 18th Amendment. He was disqualified by the Supreme Court in 2012 over a contempt case related to reopening corruption investigations against President Zardari. He remained a senior PPP figure and was elected Chairman of the Senate in 2024, becoming one of the few Pakistani politicians to hold the offices of PM, Speaker and Senate Chairman.

Legacy

Gillani is known for his affable, consensus-driven style and his survival instincts in Pakistani politics, having held office across multiple democratic and military eras. He remains a unifying figure within the PPP and the upper house of parliament.