Rehman Malik

Abdul Rehman Malik (Urdu: رحمان ملک; born 12 December 1951[1]) NI, is a Pakistani politician and a retired Federal Investigation Agency officer, having served as the Interior Minister from being appointed on 25 March 2008 until 16 March 2013.

Abdul Rahman Malik NI
Malik hand shakes (right) with British Foreign Secretary William Hague (left).
33rd Minister of Interior
In office 25 March 2008 – 16 March 2013
President	Asif Zardari Pervez Musharraf
Prime Minister	Yousaf Gillani Pervez Ashraf
Preceded by	Hamid Nawaz-Khan
Succeeded by	Malik Habib
Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency
In office 23 October 1993 – 10 November 1998
Preceded by	G. Moinuddin
Succeeded by	Iftikhar Ahmad Khan
Pakistani Senator from Sindh
Incumbent
Assumed office March 2018
Personal details
Born	Abdul Rehman Malik (1951-12-12) 12 December 1951 Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
Citizenship	Pakistan (1951–2003; continued from 2013)  United Kingdom (2003–2012)
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party
Alma mater	University of Karachi
Notable award(s)	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (2012)

Prior to his entry in national politics, Malik had pursued a successful career in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as a special agent, eventually becoming the Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency in 1993 until 1996. During his stint as Director, he coordinated successful counter-terrorist operations in the country as well as abroad, including the arrest and extradition of Yousaf Ramzi to the United States in 1995. After being removed from the Directorship, Malik moved to the United Kingdom and began political activity through the PPP platform.

From 2004 until 2007, he served as the chief of security of Benazir Bhutto and became senior official of the central committee of the PPP. After successfully contesting in the general elections held in 2008, Malik was appointed adviser and eventually appointed as Interior Minister by Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani.[2][3] In 2013, he lost his ministerial appointment after a Supreme Court's hearing against the dual nationality case. The case's decision also influenced his decision of resigning from the Pakistan Senate, also the same year.[4]

Biography

Rehman Malik Son of Feroze Malik was born in on 12 December 1951 in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. He gained his BSc degree and MSc in Statistics in 1973 from the Karachi University.[5] In 2011, Malik was conferred with an honorary PhD by the Karachi University in recognition of "matchless services to the country in the war on terror and particularly in restoring peace to the citizens of Karachi."[6]

Controversially, the decision of conferring a PhD to Rehman Malik was criticized by the university's professors.[7] The media also criticized the university's decision.[8] Over this issue, the teachers society of Karachi University passed a unanimous resolution Governor of Sindh and the Vice Chancellor to revoke the honorary doctorate degree.[9][10]

FIA career

In 1973, Malik joined the National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) as the immigration agent and subsequently served in the various services of the intelligence community, working in various criminal offense cases.[11] In the 1980s, he joined the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as a special agent and initially investigated cases against KHAD's terrorist-sponsored operations in the country. Eventually he was appointed as an Additional Director General of the FIA in 1993. His appointment was personally approved by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.[11]

As Director of the FIA, Malik launched a secret war against the Islamist elements in Pakistan, which amounted to a direct attack on the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).[12] His efforts equally dismayed the military establishment by reports of the FIA contacting the Israeli secret service, the Mossad, to investigate Islamist terrorists. The FIA leadership under Malik also angered Taliban supporters within the conservative establishment, because they allowed the extradition of Ramzi Yousef to the United States for trial on the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.[12]

Removal from FIA and exile in UK

In the ending months of 1996, President Farooq Leghari exercised the constitutional option to dismiss his party's own government.[12] One of the first acts of President Leghari, after dismissing Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on 5 November 1996, was to imprison Ghulam Asghar, Director General of the FIA, on non-specified corruption charges. Malik, Additional Director General of FIA, was also arrested and remained in prison for one year.[13][12] Later, he also survived assassination attempt.[13]

Immediately, Malik was terminated from the FIA by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1997. In November 1998, Malik termed the termination of his service by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif an "act of retaliation" because of the 200-page report, which he had sent to then-President Rafiq Tarar, disclosing large-scale corruption of the Sharif family. Malik then flew to London and made a corruption accusation against the Sharif brothers.[14] With the dismissal of the government of the PPP, Malik left the country and settled in the United Kingdom, where he set up his own private security firm, DM Digital Network. Malik, serving at the capacity as firm's president, established its head office at Manchester. Through this firm, he assisted Benazir Bhutto during her exile, and he was her Chief of Security when she returned home in 2007.[2]

During his nine-year-long exile in England, Malik obtained British citizenship. However, he stated that he gave up his British nationality in 2008 before holding public office.[15] He was the Founder President of DM Digital Network with head office at Manchester, but he resigned after his appointment as Advisor/Minister to the Prime Minister for the Interior.

PPP activism

Over his years in the United Kingdom, he grew closer to the elite central committee of the PPP. In 2007, he replaced Amin Fahim as the most trusted political aide of Benazir Bhutto, and was appointed as the chief of security of Benazir Bhutto in 2007.[16][17]

He became extremely known in public after breaking a "political deal" between Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf, which allowed Benazir Bhutto to return to the country.[18] Earlier in 2002, Fahim had formed the extension of PPP (although later emerged it) and acted as the leader of PPP in the absence of Benazir and her husband Asif Ali Zardari.[16]

It was also reported in The News International that after Malik took over the role of top "adviser and broker" of Benazir on important matters ranging from politics to business, Fahim seemed to have become an "obsolete political commodity."[16]

September 2014 PIA incident

On 15 September 2014, angry passengers at a domestic flight forced Rehman from boarding a Pakistan International Airlines plane, after the plane reportedly waited for over two hours for the former minister.[19] The passengers refused to let him on board, and a verbal altercation occurred, resulting in the denial of Malik's boarding.[20][21]

Rape Allegations

On 5 June 2020, American journalist Cynthia Ritchie accused former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik of having raped her in Islamabad in 2011.[22] Ritchie also accused former Pakistan Prime Minister of that time Yousuf Raza Gillani and former federal minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of manhandling her during her visit to Presidency in Islamabad. She alleged that US embassy's response on the matter was not adequate.[23]

Interior Minister (2008—13)

After PPP formed the Federal Government following the 2008 general elections, Malik was appointed as an "adviser on interior, intelligence, and narcotics control" by Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani.[24] However, he was upgraded to Interior Minister on 27 April 2009, in Prime Minister Gillani's cabinet, prior to becoming senator.[24]

Malik was an Interior Minister during the penultimate times in the history of the country.[11] In a research analysis printed in Dawn newspaper, his stint as Interior Minister was criticized over the issues of target killings in Sindh and the security aftermath of the Afghanistan war.[11] Interior Minister Malik has offered a $1 million bounty for the capture of Ehsanullah Ehsan (Isanullah Isan), the Pakistani Taliban spokesman who had attempted to try and justify the shocking October 2012 attempted assassination (and further threats on the life) of the 14-year-old Pakistani female blogger Malala Yousafzai (Yousafzai), a native of the Mingora region of the Swat Valley who had campaigned for the human and educational rights of girls and women in Pakistan and beyond, to international acclaim. The Taliban claimed to have acted not because of her work for education, but mainly because she was a Western spy who had broken Sharia law by opposing the mujahedeen – now used as a term for the Taliban and related militant groups – in their 'war' against the West; Malala is being treated in England for her injuries, and the Taliban's sources of motivation are disputed.

Interior Minister Malik also offered a pardon to the Pakistani Taliban's leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, if he fully renounced terrorism.[25]

Court suspension

The Constitution bars a foreign national (or dual nationality holder) from holding any public office of the Government of Pakistan.[26] The Supreme Court of Pakistan retroactively suspended and terminated the electoral membership of Farahnaz Ispahani over the issue of dual nationality on 25 May 2012.[27]

In a reference filed against Malik, the Supreme Court began the hearings against Malik over the suspicion of his British nationality.[27] Effectively, the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry suspended the electoral membership of Malik when he had shown reluctance to submit a declaration by the United Kingdom's Border Agency to establish that his client had surrendered British nationality on 6 June 2012.[27] Despite the Supreme Court's verdict, he was reinstated by Prime Minister Gillani after issuing directives to the cabinet division to reinstate him as an advisor to the prime minister on interior affairs.[28]

On 5 October 2012, Malik informed the Supreme Court that he renounced his British citizenship on 25 March 2008.[29]

Resignation

Shortly after the verdict, Malik tendered his resignation to the Senate to Chairman Senate on 10 July 2012. He continued his work with the Ministry of Interior at the behest of Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf.[30]

On 4 June, his membership in the Senate was suspended by the Supreme Court for being a dual national.[4] This resulted in the loss of his position as the Interior Minister, because Article 63-A of the Constitution of Pakistan requires each member of the cabinet to be a member of the Parliament. On 10 July 2012, Malik resigned from the Senate.[31]

Awards and recognition

He was awarded an honorary PhD degree from Karachi University. It has been debated that this degree was given to reconcile political affiliations with MQM.

National Reconciliation Ordinance

In 2007 the case of alleged corruption against Malik was dropped under the amnesty of the National Reconciliation Ordinance.[32]

Book

Rehman Malik has authored four books. His first book is "Modi’s War Doctrine: Indian anti-Pakistan Syndrome" detailing Narendra Modi's RSS influenced war-mongering policies that led to serious escalations of India-Pakistan hostilities.

The book received little traction in Pakistan, but gained considerable attention from Indian television and social media, who condemned it.

References

1. "Details of Rehman Malik". Pakistan Herald. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
2. Muhammad Saleh Zaafir. "Malik made federal minister" The News,
3. Syed Irfan Raza (28 March 2008). "Rehman and Haqqani join Gilani team" Dawn Newspaper
4. "Dual nationality: Pak SC disqualifies Malik, 11 other lawmakers". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
5. APP (10 November 2011). "Rehman Malik gets "PhD for peace" by KU". Dawn news, KU 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
6. APP (7 October 2011). "Rehman Malik to get PhD for peace". Zee News, Pakistan Bureau. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
7. Staff (23 October 2011). "KU teachers demand cancellation of Rehman Malik's honorary PhD degree". Express Tribune, KU. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
8. Staff reporters (11 October 2011). "Just what the doctor ordered: Dr Rehman Malik now better equipped to heal ailing Karachi". Tex. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
9. Staff. "KU teachers ask governor to revoke Malik's degree". Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
10. Ahmad, Noman (16 October 2011). "KU teachers and administration still at war over Malik's degree". Express Tribune, Karachi. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
11. Research and text by Saher Baloch (24 April 2013). "Rehman Malik". Dawn Research Wing. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
12. "Federal Investigative Agency " fas.org, retrieved 4 February 2009
13. Baker, Raymond (2005). Capitalism's Achilles heel: Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free-market System. John Wiley and Sons (GoogleBooks). pp. 83–84. ISBN 978-0-471-64488-0. Retrieved 30 July 2017. nawaz sharif ittefaq.
14. Rehman Malik refuses to accept his termination, Dawn Newspaper, 10 November 1998
15. / MPs with dual-nationality: Holding dual citizenship is no crime says Rehman Malik. Tribune.com.pk (11 May 2012). Retrieved on 8 February 2013.
16. Klasra, Rauf (29 July 2007). "aRehman replaces Fahim as Benazir's most trusted aide". The News International 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
17. From the Newspapers (30 December 2012). "FIA reluctant to record Malik's statement". Dawn news, area studies. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
18. From the Newspapers (21 April 2007). "The emerging contours of PPP-govt deal". dawn. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
19. Angry passengers force Rehman Malik, Vankwani off Islamabad-bound flight for causing delays
20. Abbas, Nosheen (17 September 2014). "Pakistan Rehman Malik: Passengers force ex-minister off plane". BBC News. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
21. Boone, Jon (17 September 2014). "Passenger rage forces Pakistan politician who delayed flight to flee". Guardian. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
22. In a bombshell, US blogger Cynthia Ritchie accuses PPP's Rehman Malik of rape
23. Hamdani, Kazim (6 June 2020). "US blogger Cynthia Ritchie claims PPP's Rehman Malik raped her in 2011". Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
24. Staff researcher. "Details of Rehman Malik". The Herald. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
25. 'Spy of the West': Al-Qaida, Taliban struggle to justify attack on Pakistani teen – World News. Worldnews.nbcnews.com (16 October 2012). Retrieved on 8 February 2013.
26. See article 63(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan
27. Iqbal, Nasir (6 July 2012). "SC verdict puts Malik's cabinet job in jeopardy". Dawn News, SC. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
28. Web desk (7 June 2012). "Rehman Malik reinstated as advisor to PM on interior affairs". Express Tribune, 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
29. The Newspaper's Staff Reporter (5 October 2012). "Rehman Malik tells SC he has renounced UK citizenship". Dawn SC 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
30. Nizami, Sunara (10 July 2012). "Rehman Malik resigns from Senate". Express Tribune. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
31. "Rehman Malik resigns from Pak Senate". India Times. 10 July 2012.
32. "Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik faces arrest as crisis deepens". The Telegraph, 18 December 2009.

Political offices
Preceded by Hamid Nawaz Khan	Interior Minister of Pakistan 2008–2013	Succeeded by Malik Habib