President PTI Punjab
A graduate from the SOAS University of London, Hammad Azhar has been a party member since 2011 and has been key in the party’s leadership, especially in his home city, Lahore since then. He is currently a top leader in the PTI and is the President of PTI in Punjab. Well-educated in the field of law, Azhar recieved high-level education from the Aitchison College, Wellington College and he recieved degree in law from BPP Law School in the United Kingdom. Due to his skill as a barrister and in law, he was invited to the the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, UK.
He contested in the 2013 election from Lahore against Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed from the PML (N). Azhar ran from NA-126 (Lahore-IV) in the 2018 elections, and won his seat. Imran Khan appointed him to his cabinet as Minister for Finance in 2018. Hammad Azhar was notably the architect of the 2019-2020 Budget of Pakistan under Imran Khan’s government. He also was a key member alongside Imran Khan in the succesful handling of the financial crisis in 2020 which was a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. He was reshuffled to the position of Minister for Energy by Imran Khan in 2021.
Hammad Azhar played a very important role in the challenging task of enabling Pakistan to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Imran Khan has appreciated the hardwork and effort of Hammad Azhar and his team to remove Pakistan’s name on the grey list of FATF.
Hammad Azhar has been in hiding since May, 9 2023 after the crackdown on PTI under the facist regime of the PDM. He was appointed as President PTI Punjab in December 2023, and has stood close with Imran Khan and PTI despite crackdown on the PTI. He is well-regarded for his efforts in Imran Khan’s government, being key in removing Pakistan’s name from the grey list, standing with Imran Khan, and leading PTI’s Punjab wing in times when the PTI is undergoing repression and crackdown.