Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema is a Pakistani politician who has been the Secretary General of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q since 2003. He served in Pakistan’s National Assembly from August 2018 to August 2023, and from June 2013 to May 2018. He was also the Federal Minister in charge of National Food Security and Research.
Political Career
Entry into Politics
Cheema began his political career in 1980 as a student activist for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) at Government High School Shahi Wala.
Alleged Affiliation with Al-Zulfiqar
In 2004, DAWN reported that Cheema was a suspected member of Al-Zulfiqar, which the then-Zia administration said was a terrorist organisation created by Murtaza and Shahnawaz Bhutto to avenge their late father’s execution. He was detained in the Lahore Central Jail after being charged with several violations. As a trade-off for rescuing the plane’s passengers, he was released on the insistence of militants engaged in the 1981 hijacking of Pakistan International Airlines. Later, he relocated to Afghanistan.
Return Amid Allegations
According to DAWN, Cheema eventually returned to Pakistan for a brief period before leaving again since he was facing various terrorism-related allegations. Cheema remained outside Pakistan until 1989 when the then-PPP government agreed to drop all charges against him. After his return, he became involved in Bahawalpur politics via the PPP.
Unsuccessful Venture in 1990 Elections
In the 1990 general elections, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly as a candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA) from Constituency PP-221 (Bahawalpur-IV). He garnered 27,904 votes and was defeated by Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, an Islami Jamhoori Ittehad candidate.
Triumph in 1993 Elections
In the 1993 general elections, he was elected to the Punjab Provincial Assembly as a PPP candidate from Constituency PP-221 (Bahawalpur-IV). He defeated Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), with 45,684 votes. He was the Provincial Minister of Punjab for Food and Agriculture during his time in the Punjab Assembly.
Electoral Pursuit in 1997
In the 1997 general elections, he contested as a PPP candidate from Constituency PP-221 (Bahawalpur-IV) for a seat in the Punjab Provincial Assembly. He garnered 32,727 votes and was defeated by Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, a PML-N candidate.
Ascendancy as District Nazim
He was elected District Nazim (District Mayor) of Bahawalpur in 2001 after defeating the Abbasi Nawab family of Bahawalpur, and he won the election for the second time in 2005.
Departure from PPP and Shift to PML-Q
On Benazir Bhutto’s orders, he was ousted as PPP divisional president in 2003 after Cheema was discovered supporting the PML-Q candidate rather than the PPP. Due to developing disputes with the PPP, he left in 2003 to join the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q).
2013 National Assembly Victory and Committee Chair Appointment
In the 2013 Pakistani general election, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q from Constituency NA-187 (Bahawalpur-V). He defeated Saud Majeed with 92,972 votes. He ran unsuccessfully for the seat of the National Assembly from Constituency NA-186 (Bahawalpur-IV) as a candidate of the PML-Q in the same election. He garnered 61,403 votes but was defeated by Riaz Hussain Pirzada. During his time as a member of the National Assembly, he was appointed chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology.
Arrest in 2016
Cheema was arrested by Punjab Police in 2016 on suspicion of breaking Section 144 together with other people.
Appointment as Secretary General
In 2017, he was appointed Secretary General of the PML-Q.
Re-election to the National Assembly in the 2018 General Elections
In the 2018 Pakistani general election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of the PML-Q from Constituency NA-172 (Bahawalpur-III).
Ministerial Appointments in Imran Khan's Cabinet
On August 18, Imran Khan formally revealed his federal cabinet structure, and Cheema was named Minister for States and Frontier Regions. On August 20, 2018, he was sworn in as Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s federal cabinet. He raised doubts about being appointed to the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions. His portfolio was changed from Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions to Federal Minister for Housing and Works on September 6, 2018.
Resignation
He resigned from the Cabinet Ministry of Housing and Works on March 28, 2022.
Family
Cheema is from a political family in Bahawalpur. He is the elder brother of Tahir Bashir Cheema, an MNA from Bahawalnagar.