Adnan Haider Randhawa

Adnan Haider (born 1979), more commonly known as Adnan Randhawa, is a Pakistani politician, columnist, civil and human-rights campaigner and lawyer.^[5][6]

Randhawa was associated with the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), where he worked in different capacities, including Central Media Coordinator, Central Assistant Secretary Information and Deputy Information Secretary PTI. He criticized PTI under Imran Khan to have compromised its agenda of change by making many compromises with status quo forces which, he alleged, had inducted or planted many leaders in the ranks of PTI. Soon after he left PTI, he founded another political party, Aam Admi Party Pakistan (AAPP).^[7][8]

He believes that a secular, liberal, socialist, democratic and pluralistic society is the answer to many woes that have plagued Pakistan over decades. Randhawa is busy in organizing his newly founded Aam Aadmi Party of Pakistan to wage a political struggle against what he terms as corrupt ruling elite and status quo forces of Pakistan.^[9]

Early life and early education

Randhawa was born in Burewala, Vehari District, Punjab. His father was a clerk in the office of Assistant Commissioner of Burewala. His grandfather had fled from India during the massacres of 1947 from Tehsil Batala, Gurdaspur district.

After studying at his home town till intermediate level, he continued his bachelor's and law studies at Forman Christian College; and the Punjab University Law College, a constituent college of the University of the Punjab, both located in Lahore, Punjab.

Career and further education

Randhawa entered into the Civil Services of Pakistan through the competitive examination of Pakistan, Civil Superior Service, in which he secured 12th position all over Pakistan. He opted for Foreign Service of Pakistan in 2006.

He learnt the Chinese language for two years from the China Foreign Affairs University and did his LLM from the China University of Political Science and Law during his posting at the Pakistan Embassy, Beijing.

While posted at the Foreign Office of Pakistan in Islamabad, Randhawa put up resistance against the alleged collusion of senior officers to secure the release of Raymond Davis, an American Central Intelligence Agency contractor who had murdered two Pakistanis in cold blood witnessed by many in broad daylight. Randhawa's resistance resulted in his resignation from the Foreign Office of Pakistan in protest.^[10]

During his stay in bureaucracy, he made several attempts to organize civil officers against the staggeringly high levels of corruption and maladministration in bureaucracy.

He practices law at different courts of Islamabad. He has written columns and articles for different Urdu- and English-language newspapers, including The News International, The Express Tribune, the Daily Jang, Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Nai Baat and Pakistan.^{[11][12][13][14]}

His series of columns, Kaptan Nama, on politics of PTI appeared on Saach TV. After resigning from PTI, he started a new series, Awam Nama, about the politics of Aam Aadmi Party of Pakistan. His regular Urdu-language column, Tamashae Ahle Karam, appears in the Daily Jang, the largest Urdu-language newspaper.^[15]

References