Top 10 controversial personalities of Pakistan in recent times

New Delhi: Political gadflies are dime a dozen in all countries, but there are personalities who court controversies like a fish that takes to water. Pakistan is no exception. It has its own bank of controversial personalities. They usually make headlines for all the scandalous, scornful and shocking news related to them. Here are 10 such Pakistani personalities who have earned fame (or notoriety, depending on your proclivities) by courting controversies: 1. Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri A well-read Muslim scholar, he has been living in Canada for seven years, Qadri is often been presented as a “moderate” Sufi scholar who famously wrote a 600 page fatwa against terrorism in 2010 which won him international applause. However while his work to counter extremists has brought him his share of admirers, there hangs a question mark over the extent of Qadri's own moderating influence. For example one video doing the rounds over the internet shows Qadri giving what appear to be two contradictory statements on blasphemy – the subject of so much controversy in Pakistan. In one clip he is shown speaking in English where he says: “Whatever the law of blasphemy is, it is not applicable on non-Muslims. It is not applicable on Jews, Christians and other non- Muslims minorities. It is just to be dealt with Muslims.” Yet then in Urdu in a different clip he says: “My stance was that, and this was the law which got made, that whoever commits blasphemy, whether a Muslim or a non-Muslim, man or woman – whether be a Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu, anyone – whoever commits blasphemy their punishment is death." While he presents himself as a supporter of democracy and held a massive rally protest against the Pak government in 2013, he was elected to parliament under the previous dictatorship of General Pervez Musharaf in 2002. 2. Hina Rabbani Khar Pakistan's glamorous foreign minister, courted controversies when several news sources alleged that there were massive irregularities in Eeectricity bill payments by Galaxy Textile Mills, a company owned by Khar's husband Firoze Gulzar and father-in-law. The media reports also alleged that she and her husband are also among many other beneficiaries of NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) decreed by Pervez Musharraf during the last phase of his presidency.She was also making news for her alleged affair with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of President Asif Ali Zardari, but these media reports have been rubbished by the Bhutto-Zardari family. 3. Shoaib Akhtar The Rawalpindi Express was sent home during the Test match series in Australia in 2005 for alleged poor attitude. He was also involved in a doping scandal after which he was banned from cricket. However, the ban imposed on him was lifted on appeal in court. In September 2007, Akhtar was banned for an indefinite period for his fight with Pakistan team mate and fast bowler Mohammad Asif. On 1 April 2008, Akhtar was banned for five years for publicly criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board. In October 2008, the Lahore High Court in Pakistan suspended the five-year ban and Akhtar was selected in the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 Quadrangular Tournament in Canada. Pakistani judge, Rana Bhagwandas stated once that, Akhtar is a legend of Pakistan cricket. He retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup. 4. Altaf Hussain Altaf Hussain is the founder and leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). He is having 3576 cases and charges of corruption against him. But all the cases were dropped under National Reconciliation Ordinance in Sindh. Altaf Hussain stays in London, and his speeches are blared live through loudspeakers in Karachi through videoconferencing from London. He shuttles between London and Dubai, plays political chess with the likes of Musharraf, Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. His party MQM has been charged of carrying out political assassinations in Karachi. 5. Veena Malik The controversy queen, she is a famous (?) actress of Pakistan and now in India. She landed up in her first controversy after a nude image of Malik appeared on the cover of FHM magazine India edition in which she had “ISI” written on her upper arm. Malik says she was topless but did not pose completely nude, and sued the magazine over the images. She hollered and hollered in a live phone-in over a Pakistani television when countered by a Maulana. Veena tried her hand in Bollywood, got a few forgettable movies, and then married a Dubai businessman. The last is not yet heard about the lady, who has a knack of staying in the news constantly, a la Poonam Pandey and Sherlyn Chopra. 6. Rehman Malik A Pakistani bureaucrat, Rehman Malik was the security in-charge for Benazir Bhutto, but failed to save her life, in the deadly blast in which the former PM died. He then served as the interior minister and was always in the news for makingt controversial remarks. He was summoned by the Supreme Court due to his dual nationality. The case's decision also influenced his decision of resigning from the Pakistan Senate, also the same year in 2013. 7. Mehar Bukhari Mehar Bukhari, the controversial hostess of Dunya news channel, came into limelight when a fake footage of her program was telecasted in which Taliban lashed out a young girl publicly for illicit relationship with a man. The program gained reputation much but became controversial when the video was declared fake.In 2011 when she hosted a political show, her photos with a CIA official in US surfaced on internet and social media that caused dent in her credibility. In the same year, a video of Mehar was shared widely on YouTube and Facebook in which she looked to be very close to two federal ministers, Qamar uz Zama Kaira and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.In 2012 she was exposed by a leaked video conducting a “planted show” to manipulate public opinion in favor of Malik Riaz.8. Babar Awan Babar Awan is another political gadfly. He was the former Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Pakistan, and Vice President of the Pakistan Peoples Party. In November 2009, National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan summoned Awan after he was accused for getting bribes worth 30 million Pakistani Rupees from the owners of the Haris Steel Mill in order to get a favorable verdict from the court. Awan was reported to have said that he had certainly not taken 30 million rupees and that the money he had taken was his professional fee.On January 5, 2012, Awan was issued a contempt of court notice by Supreme Court of Pakistan, due to a comment he made while talking to the media on 4 January. His license to practice law was subsequently suspended on 17 January for an indefinite period. The Supreme Court further asked the Federal Government to appoint someone else as their lawyer in the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto case. Ali Ahmad Kurd disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision to suspend Awan's license. He was a witness in conntempt case. The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari in a briefing to his close confidants disclosed that he had given a personal guarantee that Babar Awan will appear before the court as a witness in Prime Minister's contempt case. This was later confirmed by Prime Ministers council Aitezaz Ahsan in an interview given to Arshad Sharif for his program ‘Kyun'. 9. Mubashir Luqman Mubashir Luqman is a Pakistani talk show host. He has been accused of being on the payroll of various influential people and fringe outlawed Muslim sects. These include Chaudhary Shujat Hussain and Malik Riaz. On July 30, 2010, a plea against Mubashir Luqman was dismissed.Mubashir Luqman has been accused of having affairs with film actresses Resham and Zara Sheikh. After his interview with Malik Riaz dubbed the Interview Gate Fiasco, Mubashir Luqman was accused of running away from the country to avoid a judicial probe in the interview scandal. He was fired from Dunya TV after the Malik Riaz Interview was leaked. 10. Malik Riaz Hussain Malik Riaz is a Pakistani business tycoon and founder/chairman of Bahria Town, which is Asia's largest private real estate developer. He was from a poor family. Due to financial crises in his family he was forced to start work as a clerical staff at the age of 19. Today he is Pakistan's twelfth Richest Man with over $800 million worth of assets.Malik Riaz is also the main accused in the DHA valley Islamabad scam in which his company collected tens of billions of rupees (USD 500–700 million) from 67000 people of Pakistan from middle and lower middle classes. After four years it was revealed that Malik Riaz and his company acquired land for only 10000 people. Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo moto notice of the issue and a criminal case against Malik Riaz is underway since May 2012.