Asif Ali Zardari (Urdu: آصف علی زرداری) (Sindhi: آصف علي زرداري) (born 21 July 1956) is a Pakistani politician and the Co-Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He is the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who twice served as Prime Minister of Pakistan. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (Urdu: پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ) is a mainstream centre-left political party in Pakistan. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Benazir Bhutto (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو, IPA: ; Sindhi:بینظیر ڀُٽو ) (born 21 June 1953 in Karachi) is a Pakistani politician who became the first elected woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Karachay-Cherkessia. ... The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (Urdu: پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ) is a mainstream centre-left political party in Pakistan. ... Benazir Bhutto (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو, IPA: ; Sindhi:بینظیر ڀُٽو ) (born 21 June 1953 in Karachi) is a Pakistani politician who became the first elected woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Location within Pakistan Coordinates: , Country Pakistan Province Constructed 1960s Union Council 40 UC (District Govt. ... Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam, or Shi‘ism (Arabic ) is the second largest denomination of the Islamic faith. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... SindhÄ« (سنڌي, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (Urdu: پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ) is a mainstream centre-left political party in Pakistan. ... Benazir Bhutto (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو, IPA: ; Sindhi:بینظیر ڀُٽو ) (born 21 June 1953 in Karachi) is a Pakistani politician who became the first elected woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. ... The Prime Minister of Pakistan, in Urdu وزیر اعظم Wazir-e- Azam meaning Grand Vizier, is the Head of Government of Pakistan. ...

Early life and family

Asif is the son of a Pakistani Politician, Hakim Ali Zardari. Asif did most of his schooling from Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi, also President Pervez Musharf's alma mater. He is Petarian also. He married Benazir Bhutto on 18 December 1987. They have three children Bilawal, Baktawar and Asifa. For other uses, see Saint Patricks High School (disambiguation). ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 1987. ...

Member of National Assembly

Asif served as a member of the National Assembly, and as Environment Minister during the second term of his wife's premiership. His last position in the government of Pakistan was as a senator until 1999, when the senate and assemblies were dissolved by Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who took over the reins of the government in a coup against the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Pervez Musharraf (Urdu: ) (born 11 August 1943, Delhi) is the current President of Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. ... Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف ) (born December 10, 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan)[1] is a Pakistani politician. ...

Corruption charges and trial

He has been given the nickname "Mr. Ten Percent" by the media and other Pakistani figures because of the alleged 10% extortion he forced on people during the PPP governments.^{[citation needed]}

In 1990, Zardari was arrested on charges of blackmail, based on allegations that he attached a bomb to a Pakistani businessman, Murtaza Bukhari, and forced him to withdraw money from his bank account.^[1] However, the charges were dropped when he was released from prison in 1993 when his wife's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) took power and forced the charges out. For other uses, see Blackmail (disambiguation). ...

Zardari was made the Environment Minister during Bhutto's tenure.

As Minister, he was accused of taking unaccounted millions of Rupees from local Pakistani banks for forestation of Pakistan.

During that period he claimed in a televised news conference that every school in Pakistan has an Environment & Forestry department which motivates every student to plant one tree.

Asif Ali Zardari also maintained a polo ground in Islamabad.

He was kept in custody from 1997 to 2004 on charges ranging from corruption to murder. He was granted bail and released in November 2004 when a judge said the cases were all false, although allegations of pressure on the judge have also been made.^[5] However, he was re-arrested on 21 December 2004 after his failure to attend a hearing in a murder trial in Karachi. is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Karachay-Cherkessia. ...

Soon after the conviction, audiotapes of conversations between the judge and some top aides of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were discovered that showed that the judge had been under pressure to convict.

Zardari is currently living at Zardari House in Pakistani capital of Isalamabad and also has house in dubai. He is suffering from diabetes, a spinal ailment, and heart trouble. This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

In August 2004, Zardari finally admitted owning a £4.35m estate in Surrey, England (including a 20-room mansion and two farms on 365 acres, or 1.5 km², of land), which the Pakistani authorities allege was bought with the proceeds of corruption. He and his family had long denied ownership of such property in the United Kingdom. Legal proceedings brought by the Government of Pakistan against Zardari to recover the sale proceeds of the property are continuing before the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. In October 2006, the court dismissed Zardari's application to halt the proceedings on the basis that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case. As of late 2007, Zardari is seeking permission to appeal that decision. This article is about the English county. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Her Majestys High Court of Justice (usually known more simply as the High Court) is, together with the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales (which under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, is to be known as the... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ...

Zardari has spent a total of 11 years in prison. He says that the charges are politically motivated. Throughout this time, Zardari's lawyer has been Farooq H. Naek who has played a major role in his release.

A Swiss investigating magistrate has amassed enough evidence, including the purchase of a diamond necklace, to indict Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto and husband on money-laundering charges tied to contracts with two Geneva-based companies. The magistrate, Daniel Devaud, decided not to bring the charges against Ms. Bhutto in Switzerland, but rather to ask Pakistani authorities to indict her. The Geneva magistrate has been conducting a wide-ranging inquiry seeking to account for more than $13.7 million frozen by Swiss authorities in 2006. Swiss may be: Related to Switzerland: the Swiss Confederation Swiss people Swiss cheese Swiss corporations Switzerland-related topics Named Swiss: Swiss, Missouri Swiss, North Carolina Swiss, West Virginia Swiss, Wisconsin Swiss International Air Lines Swiss Re SWiSS is also used as a disparaging nickname for the Socialist Workers Student Society. ... Benazir Bhutto (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو, IPA: ; Sindhi:بینظیر ڀُٽو ) (born 21 June 1953 in Karachi) is a Pakistani politician who became the first elected woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. ... For other uses, see Geneva (disambiguation). ...

The money was allegedly stashed in Swiss banks.^[6] The public proceedings were required to be dropped against Bhutto due to her death; however, the proceedings are still continuing against Zardari as of late December 2007.^[7] Swiss banks are world-renowned for their stability, privacy and protection of clients. ...

After eight years in exile in Dubai and London, his wife Benazir returned to Karachi on 18 October 2007, to prepare for the 2008 general election. Location of Dubai in the UAE Coordinates: , Country Emirate Dubai Incorporated (town) June 9, 1833 Incorporated (emirate) December 2, 1971 Founder Maktoum bin Bati bin Suhail (1833) Seat Dubai Subdivisions Towns and villages Jebel Ali Hatta Al Hunaiwah Al Aweer Al Hajarain Al Lusayli Al Marqab Al Shindagha Al Faq... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... General elections will be held in Pakistan in early January 2008. ...

Co-chairman of the PPP

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on 27 December 2007. On 30 December 2007, Asif Ali Zardari occupied the co-chairmanship the PPP.^[8] The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred on 27 December 2007 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

After being elected co-chairperson of the PPP, he campaigned in various parts of Pakistan ahead of the February 2008 election. This included campaigning alongside Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N). Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف ) (born December 10, 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan)[1] is a Pakistani politician. ... The Pakistan Muslim League (N) (Urdu: پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن) is a political party in Pakistan. ...

After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Mr.Zardari has reaffirmed his position of disintest in holding the position of Prime Minister of Pakistan.^[9][10] The assassination of Benazir Bhutto occurred on 27 December 2007 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. ...

After the election, he called for a government of national unity, but failed to say how it would work with President Pervez Musharraf.^[11] Asif Ali Zardari and former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on February 21, 2008 that their parties would work together in the national parliament after scoring big wins in the election.^[12] On 5th March 2008 Mr Zardairi was cleared of 5 corruption charges, including corruption and illegal use of property under NRO. Pervez Musharraf (Urdu: ) (born 11 August 1943, Delhi) is the current President of Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mr Zardari is preparing to be able to be leader his newly elected PPP-PML-N government. He had another trial on the remaining charges on 12 April 2008, when he was cleared under NRO. On 19 April 2008 Zaradari announced in a press conference in London that he and his sister would participate in the by-elections taking place on 3rd June and that, if necessary, he would contest to become the country's next Prime Minister, even though his party voted by a 2/3 majority to announce that Yousaf Raza Gillani would be the PM for a five year term. is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 109th day of the year (110th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... Syed Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani (Urdu: ) (born June 9, 1952 in Karachi) is the twenty-sixth and current Prime Minister of Pakistan. ...

See also

• Azra Peechoho
• Hakim Ali Zardari
• Faryal Talpur

Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho (Urdu: عذرا فضل پیچوہو ) is a politician in Sindh, Pakistan. ... Hakim Ali Zardari is a industrialist and landlord from Sindh, Pakistan. ... Faryal Talpur (Urdu: فریال تالپور ) is a politician in Sindh, Pakistan. ...

External links

• Asif Zardari news
• Profile: Asif Zardari
• Bhutto's husband released (SBS World News, Australia)
• Bhutto's husband now admits owning £4m estate (The Guardian of London)
• YouTube.com videos on Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari