Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali


Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali is an Indian politician and businessman. He is an Advocate by profession and was part of the 11th and 12th Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Darhal constituency. He is a second generation politician whose father Chowdhary Mohmmad Hussain was renowned politician and statesman in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He has also served as Cabinet Minister under the Chief Ministership of Mufti Mohammad sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti 2015 to 2018. He was associated with Jammu and Kashmir peoples democratic party and served as district chief of the party for district Rajouri 2003 to 2013. He has left PDP and become the founding member of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. He has been Honoured with Best Legislature 2012. He is one of the most educated politician in Jammu and Kashmir state. As a Cabinet Minister, he headed various portfolios. He is pioneer minister of Ministry of Tribal affairs. Zulfkar also implemented national food security act in the state and launched food for poor scheme.

Early life

Zulfkar was born on 1 January 1970 at Tralla, Rajouri to a well known bureaucrat turned politician Chowdhary Mohmmad Hussain, who belongs to a feudal Zaildar family of district Rajouri. Who was a member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly for 5 terms. Mohmmad Hussain has also served as a minister under the chief ministership of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Dr Farooq Abdullah. Zulfkar did early schooling from MIER Jammu and Graduation from Prince of Wales College Jammu and bachelors in law and masters in law from University of Jammu and masters in business administration from IGNOU. He also did post graduate diploma course in Journalism and mass communication, industrial relation personal management, human resources development, business administration and rural development. He is married to Ms Zubeida daughter of a renowned politician Haji Buland Khan. Who also served as member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly and council.

Political career

Zulfkar was active in politics as a student leader and was a president of student union in University of Jammu. As his father was associated with Jammu and Kashmir national conference after completing his education he joined Jammu and Kashmir national conference and became the zonal president of the youth wing of the party. In 2002, he was denied mandate by the national conference from the darhal assembly segment of the state by the national conference and he contested as a rebel national conference candidate in 2002 general assembly election and lost with a narrow margin. On 5 of January 2003, he joined Jammu and Kashmir people democratic party under the leader ship of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and became the district president which he held for a decade in 2008 general election, he again contested the election from the same segment on the PDP Mandidate and was elected to the 11th J&K legislative assembly from 2008-2014, he introduced several important legislation, bills resolutions and issues of general public importance in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. He also served as member of Public Accounts Committee, estimates committee, public undertakings committee, subordinate legislation committee, environment committee etc and also served as chairman of ethics committee, subordinate legislation committee, and brick klin committee. He was given certificate of appreciation by Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly for his maiden year 2009 in the assembly. His 2 Brother in Law Ajaz Ahmed Khan & was member of Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly. In 2014 general election he was reelected to the 12th Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly and was inducted as a cabinet minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government and was re inducted as the cabinet minister headed by Mehbooba Mufti.

Detention

He remained house arrest for several months after 5 August 2019 on Political grounds.

Constituency

Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali represented Darhal constituency for a decade from 2008 to November 2018. The constituency is located in district Rajouri of Jammu province in the lap of PirPangal, having total population of 162540, out of which 86025 are male and 76515 are females with 1543 Schedule caste and 80882 are Schedule tribes, the area is tough and mountainous spreading over 100 sq km from Plangarg Thanamandi to Dandote Budhal. Chowdhary Zulfkar transformed the constituency in many ways including establishment of medical college, institutes of higher and high learning including colleges, high and higher secondary schools besides establishment of 100's of primary and elementary schools, a huge educational infrastructure was set up in the area during the period, besides he ensured 100% electrification of the area with thousands of new poles and new power sub stations were setup. He also focused during the time to ensure 100% rural Road connectivity to every village of the constituency and achieve the target. He got establishment of additional district for kotranka, several major developmental works were initiated in the area costing several hundred crores including Anas irrigation project with tunnel, kotranka khawas road, Budhal Shopian Road, degree college kotranka, government medical college at Mera Rajouri, 3 dozen high and higher secondary schools, food for poor under NFSA about 90% of the population covered under PHH category, Rajouri Kandi Budhal double lane road, establishment of eid gah at kotranka and several tourist spots and establishment of gujjar hostel at kotranka.

Positions held in J&K government

  1. Cabinet Minister for Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
  2. Cabinet Minister for Tribal Affairs department.
  3. Cabinet Minister for information and public relations department.
  4. Cabinet Minister for Haj and Aquaf department.
  5. Cabinet Minister for Education department.
  6. Chairman state Consumer council.

    Awards and honors

S no.NAME OF AWARDDATEPLACEORGANISATION
1.Indra Gandhi Sadbhawana Award24 NOVEMBER 2006New DelhiNational Intergration & Economic Council
2.International Gold Star Millennium Award7th Feb 2007KathmanduCitizen Integration Peace Socitey Nepal-India fourm for Peace and Development
3.Rashtryia Gourav Award16 Mar 2007New DelhiIndia International Friendship Society
4.Eminent Citizen of India Award9 June 2007New DelhiInternational Institute of Education and Management
5.Global Achivers Award11 June 2013BangkokGlobal Achievers Award
6.International Gold Star Award18th Nov 2013DubaiISC
7.MOHSIN-E-URDU Award2012RajouriHimalayan Education Socitey
8.Bhartyia Vidhyia Sharomani Award27 May 2012New DelhiIndian Solidarity Socitey
9.SAPPA-E-URDU Award8 May 2013RajouriTBU
10.Eminent Educationist Award25 June 2013New DelhiII E&M New Delhi
11.Asia Pacific Achivers Award15 June 2014TashkantISC New Delhi &GAF
12.Best Legislator Award 2012July 2016SrinagarJ&K Legislative Assembly & J&K State Govt.
13.Certificate of Appreciation for his Madin Year2009SrinagarSpeaker J&K Speaker
14.Bhartiyia Gourav Award4th oct 2017New DelhiIIFS
15.Saksham Award2017New DelhiMinistry of Petrolium and National Gas GOI
16.International Global Achivers Award29 June 2019MOSCOW GAF
17.International Royal Personality Award31ST Jan 2020BangkokGAF & IPF

Publications

  1. Research work on center-state relations under article 356 of constitution of India with special reference to article 370.
  2. Working on PanchaytiRaj institutions in India.
  3. Condition of child labour and overview.

    Social Life

He is President and Chairman of CMH educational society and CMH group of colleges, working for the spread of education in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and upliftment of the weaker section of the society particularly the down troden and Tribals

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