Ali Haider Zaidi
Ali Haider Zaidi | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs | |
| In office 11 September 2018 – 10 April 2022 | |
| President | Arif Alvi |
| Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo |
| Succeeded by | Faisal Subzwari |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 13 August 2018 – 17 January 2023 | |
| Constituency | NA-244 (Karachi East-III) |
| President of PTI Sindh | |
| In office 25 December 2021 – 27 May 2023 | |
| Chairman | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Haleem Adil Sheikh |
| Succeeded by | Haleem Adil Sheikh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Political party | MQM-H (2025-present) |
| Other political affiliations | IPP (2023-2025) PTI (2002–2023) |
Syed Ali Haider Zaidi (Urdu: علی حیدر زیدی) (born 11 September 1952) is a Pakistani politician who served as the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs from 11 September 2018 to 10 April 2022. He also served as the President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Sindh chapter. He remained a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 to January 2023.[1] In 2023, he quit the PTI following the May 9 riots, perceived as attack coordinated by Imran Khan on Pakistan's institutions, especially the military.[2]
Political career
[edit]Zaidi was running a business in the United States when he first met Imran Khan in 1995 at a Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital fundraiser. The two remained in contact, and Zaidi became involved in politics in late 1999, contesting his first election in 2002 on a PTI ticket.[3][4]
He ran for the seat of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh as a candidate of PTI from Constituency PS-116 (Karachi-XXVIII) in the 2002 general elections, but was unsuccessful. He received 2,941 votes and lost the seat to Nasrullah Khan, a candidate of the MMA.[5]
He ran for the seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PTI from Constituency NA-252 (Karachi-XIV) and from Constituency NA-208 (Jacobabad) in the 2013 general elections[6][4] but was unsuccessful. He received 49,622 votes from NA-252 (Karachi-XIV) and lost to Abdul Rashid Godil). He received 7,589 votes from NA-208 (Jacobabad) and lost the seat to Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani.[7]
On 25 December 2014, he was appointed as president of PTI's Karachi chapter.[6][4] In December 2015, he announced that he would resign as president of PTI's Karachi chapter in the aftermath of party's poor performance in local government elections.[8]
He was elected to the National Assembly from the Constituency NA-244 (Karachi East-III) as a candidate of PTI in 2018 general elections.[9]
On 11 September 2018, he was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan[10] and was appointed as Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs.[11][12]
Ali Zaidi was appointed as PTI's Sindh Chapter president by Imran Khan on 25 December 2021.[13]
In May 2023, Zaidi announced his resignation from PTI and stated his intention to leave politics, following what he described as a “difficult decision” after the violent events of 9 May.[2]
Philanthropy
[edit]Following the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir, Zaidi initiated the creation of the Imran Khan Foundation to support disaster relief, as the Imran Khan Cancer Appeal Foundation, registered as a 501(c)(3) charity in the U.S., was restricted to supporting the cancer hospital. Within ten days, the new foundation raised between $600,000 and $1 million for earthquake victims and later secured its own 501(c)(3) status. The foundation also supported initiatives like Namal University.[3]
In response to the 2010 Pakistan floods, Zaidi led fundraising efforts that raised close to $3 million in three weeks, with total contributions exceeding $6 million.[3]
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References
[edit]- ^ APP (24 November 2019). "Ali Zaidi to address 31st session of IMO Assembly as a guest Speaker". Brecorder. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ a b “PTI’s Ali Zaidi quits politics, resign from party positions,” *Dawn*, 27 May 2023, accessed 10 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Hon. Ali Haider Zaidi – One World Media Corp. Archived June 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Party politics: PTI's new local leader upsets old members | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 1 January 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "2002 election result - Sindh" (PDF). ECP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Cracks emerge in PTI Karachi ‹ The Friday Times". The Friday Times. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "2013 election result" (PDF). ECP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "PTI's Ali Zaidi tenders resignation from party position | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "Ali Haider Zaidi of PTI wins NA-244 election". Associated Press Of Pakistan. 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "PM Imran's cabinet expanded by six | The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (13 September 2018). "State ministers for revenue, frontier regions notified". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ "Govt announces portfolios of new ministers". www.pakistantoday.com.pk. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ "Ali Zaidi appointed as PTI Sindh President". 25 December 2021.