20th Chief Minister of NWFP; Ameer Hoti takes oath Today  
By Zulf Khan Afridi 'Pakistan Times' NWFP Bureau Chief

PESHAWAR: Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, a joint candidate of the coalition partners ANP-PPP has been elected unopposed Chief Minister NWFP as the opposition parties did not put candidate against the nominee of the coalition partners.

Governor NWFP Owais Ahmed Ghani will administer oath to Ameer Haider Khan Hoti as Chief Minister at 4 p.m. on April 1, 2008 at Governor House, official sources say.

As no candidate had filed the nomination papers by 1 pm today, the last time for filing of the papers, therefore, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti was elected unopposed leader of the house. His papers were declared valid for contesting the election for the slot of the Chief Minister.

The Speaker had fixed April 1 (Tuesday) for the election of Leader of the House this morning (Monday).

Speaker NWFP Assembly Karamatullah Khan Chagarmatti will make the formalannouncement about his unopposed election in Tuesday’s session
of the assembly.

The nomination papers of the nominee of the coalition partnerswere proposed and seconded by the legislators from all the parliamentary parties.

The oath taking ceremony of the Chief Minister and the proposed NWFP cabinet is likely to take place on April 1, said an ANP leader when contacted. Aitchisonian Haider Hoti will be third Chief Minister from Mardan.

“I was born in politics and I breathe politics. It’s about leadership and I have sixteen years of practical experience in politics.

So I have that in me. And then the party’s experience is behind me.
I belong to a party that has a political history of more than 90 years. So I am fresh and have an open mind, which is an asset in itself,” said Ameer Haider Khan Hoti in an interview to the local press the other day.

The 37-year old Aitchisonian was elected to the provincial assembly in the 2008 elections, though his first bid to make to the house in 2002 polls was unsuccessful.

Haider Hoti is elder son of former Federal Communication Minister Azam Khan Hoti in the Nawaz Sharif cabinet. Born on February 5, 1971, he passed intermediate exam from Aitchison College Lahore and did graduation from Edwards College Peshawar in 1992.

He is a nephew of President of ANP Asfandyar Wali Khan and veteran politician Begum Nasim Wali Khan. Asfandyar Wali Khan is the stepson of Begum Naseem Wali Khan. Starting his political career as ANP organizer in Mardan city, he became senior vice-president of the party in the District.

Amir Haider Khan Hoti was inducted as provincial joint secretary in the provincial cabinet of the party and later made provincial deputy secretary general, an office he has been holding to date.

The late Amir Muhammad Khan, a close associate and confidant of Khudai Khidmatgar Baacha Khan, was the grandfather of Amir Haider Hoti, whose younger brother Ghazan Khan is presently looking after financial matters of Baacha Khan Welfare Trust.

Haider Hoti married Mehr Dil Khans granddaughter of founding leader of Khudai Khidmatgar Tehrik and daughter of ANP leader Sareer Khan. He will be the third chief minister from Mardan, the first two being late Lt.Gen. Fazle Haq (caretaker) and late Mir Afzal Khan in 1990.

Amir Haidar Khan Hoti is the grandson of two stalwarts of Freedom Movement and Pakhtun Nationalist Politicians. His maternal grandfather is Khan Abdul Wali Khan and paternal grandfather is Amir Muhammad Khan Hoti, who used to be called “Khan Lala” out of respect and love, a close colleague of Baacha Khan and active participant of Khudai Khidmatgar Movement.

He has two sons and one daughter The first Chief Minister of the province was Dr. Khan Sahib maternal grand grandfather of Amir Haider Hoti, whose government was dismissed in 1947.

Among the former Chief Ministers, Dr. Khan Sahib had been the chief executive for three terms, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao for two terms, while Muhammad Akram Khan Durrani ruled the province for a longer period who was sworn in as Chief Minister on November 30, 2002, and resigned on October 08, 2007, some 45 days before completing his five years tenure. .

LIST OF CHIEF MINISTERS OF N.W.F.P SINCE 1945

Name From TO

Dr. Khan Sahib 16-03-1945 22-08-1947
Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan 23-08-1947 23-04-1953
Sardar Abdul Rashid Khan 23-08-1953 18-07-1955
Sardar Bahadar Khan 19-07-1955 13-10-1955
Maulana Mufti Mehmood 01-05-1972 21-02-1973
Sardar inayatullah Khan Gandapur 29-04-1973 16-02-1975
Mr. Nasrullah Khan Khattak 03-05-1975 09-04-1977
Mr. Iqbal Khan Jadoon 09-04-1977 05-07-1977
Arbab Muhammad Jehangir Khan Khalil 07-04-1985 30-05-1988
Lt.Gen.(Rtd) Mr. Fazle Haq 31-05-1988 02-12-1988
Mr. Aftab Ahmad Khan Seherpao 02-12-1988 06-08-1990
Mr. Mir Afzal Khan 10-11-1990 29-5-1993
Mufti Muhammad Abbass 19-07-1993 20-10-1993
Pir Sabir Shah 20-10-1993 25-02-1994
Mr. Aftab Ahmad Khan Seherpao 24-04-1994 12-11-1996
Raja Sikandar Zaman 12-11-1996 21-02-1997
Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Abbassi 21-02-1997 12-10-1999
Mr. Akram Khan Durrani 30-11-2002 8-10 2007
Shamsul-Malik 9-10-2007 31-4 - 2008●