Ayaz Amir


Ayaz Amir is a Pakistani columnist, former military officer, and politician. Previously, he had been a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab between 1990 and 1993 and a member of the National Assembly between 2008 and 2013.

Early life

Ayaz Amir was born in Chakwal District. He received his education from Lawrence College Murree and then joined Pakistan Military Academy as a cadet officer. He retired as a captain from the Pakistan Army and joined foreign service.
In 1981, he was imprisoned again for five months.

Political career

He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from Chakwal constituency in 1990 Pakistani general election as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League PML-N. He left the PML-N for brief time in 1998. He rejoined the party in 2002 and was active in a struggle to restore democracy back to country.
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency NA-60 Chakwal constituency as a candidate of PML-N in 2008 Pakistani general election. In 2013, he left PML-N and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Journalism career

Ayaz Amir started his career as columnist for various English-language dailies. His columns are known for being critical of the Pakistan Pakistan Army's role in politics throughout the history of the country. He identifies himself as a liberal and is against extremist versions of Islam.
Ayaz Amir has also served in Pakistan Army as a captain for a brief period before rendering his resignation. He has also hosted a talk show Counterpoint on ARY One World television. He currently appears as an analyst on Pakistani TV channel Duniya Tv's current affairs show called Think Tank.

Allegations

In 2011 Ayaz Amir and six others were booked by a sessions court for gang-raping fifteen-year-old Tabassum Farooq, a resident of Langah village, Chakwal. In her application, Tabassum Farooq alleged that she was taken to the residence of Ayaz Amir on May 22 by her sister-in-law where an intoxicated Amir forcibly raped her. The case has been fraught with tension due to the influence wielded by Amir as a sitting MNA.
Qazi Ameen, Tabassum's council has accused Ayaz Amir and other involved persons of trying to silence the claimant by registering a case of robbery and kidnapping against Ms Tabassum and her disabled father accusing them of concocting the case to cover conceal the robbery of Ms Tabassum's husbands family.
Amir has denied these allegations saying they were fabricated by political opponents but the case has received a startling lack of media attention with only one report on the entire scandal. Amir even went on to write a about the allegations, calling the accuser "Mata Hari" and "Venus from Langha" while comparing his own situation to Strauss Kahn's.