Ahsan Iqbal, who narrowly survived an assassination attempt in his hometown Narowal, serves as Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
He also holds the portfolio of Planning, Development and Reforms since September 2017.
In addition, Ahsan Iqbal is Deputy Secretary General of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N).
Apart from political career, the 59-year-old politician from Narowal heads Better Pakistan Foundation, a not for profit organization engaged in development and social sectors.
He was Professor of Management at M. A. Jinnah University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
His previous appointments include Chief Coordinator/ Minister of State, Pakistan 2010 Programme (1997-99), Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission (1998-99); Chairman, Good Governance Group, Government of Pakistan (1997-99), Chairman, Pakistan Engineering Board, and Chairman, National Steering Committees on Information Technology and TQM & Productivity (1998-99).
Ahsan Iqbal was elected to the Parliament as Member of National Assembly of Pakistan in 1993, 1997 and 2013 on PML-N Platform from District Narowal. He earlier served as Policy and Public Affairs Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan (1993).
He also served as Senior Advisor, Al-Madinah Al Monawarah Digital Economy Project, Saudi Arabia (2004-2006). He has held senior level corporate positions in major public sector corporations of Pakistan.
Mr. Iqbal represents the new generation of leaders in the country, which possesses a combination of political, professional and academic backgrounds. He led the formulation of Pakistan Vision 2025, a set of shared aspirational goals with a corresponding development framework that seeks to turn Pakistan into a tiger economy.
The consensus Vision, compiled after extensive stakeholder consultations, was launched by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 11 Aug, 2014.
On his initiative, Pakistan’s first National IT Policy was formulated. His leadership was instrumental in starting several knowledge, good governance, and reform programs in the country.
His areas of interest include Development and Business Economics, Governance, Change Management, Strategic Management & Leadership, Knowledge Economy & International Affairs.
He holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, USA (1984-86), B.Sc (Mechanical Engineering) from the University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore, Pakistan (1976-81), where he was elected President of Students Union (1980-81).
He has also attended School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, USA (1989), Oxford University, UK (1992) Harvard University, USA (2004), executive programmes.
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