General: Syed
Yusuf Raza Gilani is a member of an influential political family of
Multan, started his political career in 1978 after the death of father Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain
Gilani, who was a signatory to the
Pakistan Resolution. Mr
Gilani?s grandfather, Makhdoom
Ghulam Mustafa Shah Gilani, and paternal uncle Makhdoom Raza
Shah Gilani had been elected members of the legislative assembly after defeating the Unionists in the 1946
elections. Mr
Gilani?s great grandfather, Makhdoom Raja Bakhsh
Gilani, was both mayor of
Multan in 1921 and member of the
Central Legislative Assembly of
India. He served as a member of the assembly from 1921 till his death in 1936 and was known as the father of the Indian Assembly. His larger family has always played a key role in
Pakistan politics. His great grandfather Syed Sadruddin
Shah?s brother Syed Rajan Bux
Shah was the first Gillani to be elected to Indian Legislative Council in 1921. He remained its member till his death in 1936. Gillanis joined the
All India Muslim League in 1940s. Rajan?s nephew Syed Mohammad Raza
Shah defeated Unionist party candidate and
PPP?s another contender for premiership
Shah Mahmood Qureshi?s grandfather Makhdum Murid Hussain Qureshi in 1946
elections. Raza
Shah was the only non-official president of the
Multan District Board before Partition, defeating British Depty Commissioner EP Moon in the
elections. He was brother of Yousaf Raza?s grandfather Syed
Ghulam Mustafa Shah. Raza?s son Hamid Raza Gillani won National Assembly seats in 1962, 1965, 1977 and 1985. He served as parliamentary secretary in 1960s and as a federal miniuster in
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto?s 1977 cabinet. He was elected to
Senate of Pakistan in 1991.
Mustafa Shah?s son and Yousaf?s father Makhdum Alamdar Gillani was elected to
Punjab Assembly in 1951 alongwith his brother Syed Walayat
Hussain Shah. Alamdar Gillani was elevated to provincial health minister in 1953. He joined newly born Republican Party in 1956 and was disqualified by Ayub government from electoral politics. His brother and Yousaf?s uncle Rehmat
Shah filled the vaccum by joining Ayub?s Conventional
Muslim League and winning a provincial seat along with Hamid Raza who kept on leading the family on the electoral scene till the time Yousaf ousted him in 1990. Another cousin of
Yousaf Raza Gillani, Syed Tanvirul Hasan Gillani, also won a national seat in 1990 but from the platform of Islami Jamhuri Ittehad (IJI).
Yousuf Raza Gilani has four sons and a daughter. He is also related to
Pir Pagara, the head of PML-Functional.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is a descendent of Moosa Pak Shaheed, a great saint of
Multan, Yousaf?s mother was a sister of Makhdum Hasan
Mahmood of Jamaldinwali,
Rahimyar Khan. Makhdum Hasan?s other sister was married to Pir of Pagaro. Yousaf?s first maternal cousin Makhdum
Ahmad Mahmood is provincial president of
Pir Pagara?s Functional League.
Ahmad Mahmood?s sister is married to General Musharraf?s former loyalist
Jehangir Tareen. Makhdoom Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani,
Yousaf Raza Gillani?s eledest son, will marry the grand-daughter of
Pir Pagara on March 24, 2008 in
Karachi.