Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali is an Indian politician and former cabinet minister of

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

. He is an

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

by profession and was a member of the 11th and 12th

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly also known as the Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Sabha is the legislature of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved by the Governor on 21 N ...

from Darhal constituency. He has also served as Cabinet Minister from 2015 to 2018. He was also associated with

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of , ...

and served as district chief of the party for district Rajouri 2003 to 2013. He resigned from the PDP and became one of the founding member of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. Presently Vice President of the party.

Early life and education

Zulfkar was born on 1 January 1970 at Tralla, Rajouri to a bureaucrat turned politician Chowdhary Mohmmad Hussain, who belongs to a feudal

Zaildar Zaildar was the title of the grand jagirdars (landlords) of the area, who were in charge of a Zail which was an administrative unit of group of villages during the British Indian Empire. The Settlement Officer, with the advice of the Deputy Co ...

family of the district Rajouri who was a member of

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly also known as the Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Sabha is the legislature of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved by the Governor on 21 N ...

for 5 terms. Zulfkar did early schooling from MIER Jammu and Graduation from Prince of Wales College Jammu and bachelors in law and masters in law from University of Jammu and masters in business administration (MBA) from IGNOU. He also did a post-graduate diploma course in Journalism and mass communication, industrial relation personal management, human resources development, business administration and rural development.

Political career

Zulfkar was active in politics as a student leader and was a president of the student union in University of Jammu. As his father was associated with

Jammu & Kashmir National Conference The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) is a regional political party in the Indian union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Founded as the ''All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference'' by Sheikh Abdullah and Chaudhry Ghulam A ...

(JKNC), he also joined JKNC after completing his education where he became a zonal president of the youth wing. In 2002, he was denied a ticket by the National Conference from the Darhal constituency, and he contested it as a rebel National Conference candidate, losing with a narrow margin. On 5 January 2003, he joined

and became the district president, a position he held for a decade. In the 2008 general election, he again stood from Darhal and was elected to the 11th J&K legislative assembly from 2008 to 2014. He served as a member of the Public Accounts Committee, estimates committee, public undertakings committee, subordinate legislation committee, environment committee etc. and also served as chairman of ethics committee, subordinate legislation committee, and brick klin committee. In the 2014 general election, he had been reelected to the 12th Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly and was inducted as a cabinet minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government and was re-inducted as the cabinet minister

Positions held

# Cabinet Minister for Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs # Cabinet Minister for Tribal Affairs Department (Pioneer Minister) # Cabinet Minister for Information and Public Relations Department # Cabinet Minister for Haj and Aquaf Department # Cabinet Minister for Education Department # Chairman of State Consumer Council # Chairman of Ethics Committee # Chairman of Subordinate Legislation Committee # Chairman of Brick Kiln Committee( Environment Committee)

Personal life

Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali is married to Zubeida, daughter of politician Haji Buland Khan who also served as a member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly and council. His two brothers-in-Law

Ajaz Ahmed Khan Aijaz Ahmad Khan popularly known as Aijaz Saab or Sher-e-Gool Gulabgarh is an Indian politician and was a member of the 10th, 11th and 12th Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Gool Arnas constituency. He served as Minister of various po ...

an Mumtaz Ahmed Khan were members of Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zulfkar Ali, Chowdhary 1970 births Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2008–2014 Jammu and Kashmir MLAs 2014–2018 People from Rajouri district University of Jammu alumni Apni Party politicians Living people Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party politicians Jammu & Kashmir National Conference politicians Indian lawyers