The lovey-dovey days of Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani are over. He was born in 1952 in an influential peer family of Multan - a famous district of Southern Punjab. Thirty-four years ago, Gilani started his political career during the era of General Ziaul Haq. His grandfather Syed Muhammad Raza Shah Gilani played an active role in Pakistan Movement.
About his grandfather, it is said that he never faced defeat in elections due to his trustworthiness and popularity among his followers. But Gilani proved otherwise and could not maintain the repute of his ancestors and was shown the doors in a contempt of court case.
He was declared as the first convicted prime minister of the country for defying the Supreme Court orders that he blatantly refused to implement just to save his boss President Zardari. His father Alamdar Hussain Gilani was also a known political figure while renowned politician Hamid Raza Gilani is his uncle. He is also a close relative of late Peer Pagaro, chief of Muslim League-Functional and his elder son Abdul Qadir Gilani is the son-in-law of newly appointed son of late Peer Pagaro.
Gilani did his graduation in 1970 and completed his Masters in Journalism from University of Punjab in 1976. He started his political career as member of central working committee of Muslim League. He was elected as member of federal council in 1982. He took part in district council elections in 1983 and by defeating renowned PPP leader Syed Fakhr Imam, he became chairman of district council Multan.
He took part in the non-party elections of 1985 held by the then president Zia-ul-Haq and was given the portfolio of housing and works and later, minister for railways in the same cabinet of the then prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Gilani joined Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by its charismatic leader Benazir Bhutto in 1988 and took part in the elections on PPP ticket when Zia-ul-Haq was killed in a plane crash. He defeated his opponent Nawaz Sharif who was contesting elections from four constituencies. For the grand victory against Nawaz Sharif he got closer to Benazir and was bestowed with portfolio of tourism and housing and works ministry.
Gilani became member of federal cabinet for the third time in 1993. And the same year when Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved the assembly, he was given the portfolio of local bodies in the caretaker set-up of Mir Balakh Sher Mazari. In 1994 elections, he became member of National Assembly for the fourth time and was made Speaker National Assembly by Benazir Bhutto. He also acted as acting president during his stint as Speaker National Assembly in absence of the president.
He faced defeat in February 1998 elections despite remaining member of National Assembly for the fourth consecutive term. He was appointed as vice chairman of the party. He had to quit the party slot when his nephew MNA Asad Murtaza Gilani joined a forward block of PPP in 2002. He was arrested in 2004 by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) - a top anti-graft body of the country, for misuse of authority as Speaker National Assembly. He reportedly employed over 300 people in National Assembly Secretariat. He was sent to top prison for 10 years rigorous imprisonment. During his confinement in Adiala Jail he wrote a book titled 'Chah-e-Yousaf Sei Sada'.
Gilani was elected as member National Assembly for fifth time from Multan in 2008 elections. The PPP picked him for the slot of prime minister on March 22, 2008 and he was elected unopposed prime minister. He took oath of his office on March 26 and remained prime minister of the country for four years, one month and one day. During his four years stint, the country witnessed rampant corruption, never ending load-shedding, favouritism, inflation, poor law and order situation...! The only thing which he would feel proud of is that he served his boss Asif Zardari with full loyalty and commitment. At times he was even seen passing sarcastic remarks against judiciary.
Gilani used all the tactics to blackmail top court of the country - the single institution of which delivers as rest of the state institutions like PIA, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Steel Mills and OGDCL, etc, are on the verge of complete collapse.