Sheikh Waqas Akram

He is associated with transport businesses, notably Shorkot Transport Company, owned by his father, a large-scale Pakistani transport operator.^[9]

In August 2019, Sheikh Waqas Akram and members of his family were implicated in a high-profile legal case following the death of motorcycle rickshaw passengers in Jhang. Akram, his father, and his brother Sheikh Fawad Akram were named in a first information report alleging that they had directed an employee of Shorkot Transport Company to run over the victims, relatives of a complainant involved in an earlier road accident case. The group was subsequently granted pre-arrest interim bail by a sessions court in Jhang while the case remained under investigation.^[9]

He entered politics as a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) in 2002 and won a seat in the 2008 Pakistani general election from NA-89 Jhang on a PML-Q ticket.^[10] Following his election as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, he was made Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Labor and Manpower in the PPP-led Gillani government as a coalition partner from 2011 to 2012.^[11][12] He then served as Federal Minister of Education and Trainings in the Raja Pervaiz Ashraf government from 2012 to 2013, again as a coalition partner to PPP, while still being a member of the PML-Q.^[12][13]

In March 2013, in the run up to the 2013 Pakistani general election, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). His decision to join the PML-N came while still being an incumbent lawmaker and minister for the PML-Q.^[14] He could not take part in 2013 general elections because a returning officer rejected his nomination papers based on a letter sent by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) about his declared fake degrees.^[15][16] He later challenged his rejection in a higher court tribunal which allowed him to contest the election,^[17] though he decided not to contest the elections.

Prior to the 2018 Pakistani general election, he was offered to run as a candidate of the PML-N from NA-115 Jhang-II. Despite being described as a loyal and strong member of the PML-N, Sheikh Waqas Akram refused to contest on a PML-N ticket, and instead attempted to run in the same constituency for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Waqas was denied a PTI ticket, as the PTI selected Ghulam Bibi Bharwana to run from NA-115 Jhang-II. Following this, Waqas Akram opted to run as an Independent candidate from the constituency but failed to win against Ghulam Bibi Bharwana and PTI.^[3]

On 11 March 2023, Waqas Akram joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf declaring allegiance to the Haqiqi Azadi March and the party's manifesto.^[18][19]

On 9 February 2024, amid the 2024 Pakistani general election, independent candidate Sheikh Waqas Akram, supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), emerged victorious in the National Assembly seat for constituency NA-109 Jhang, as reported by Geo News.^[20] The election saw Waqas Akram garner 176,586 votes,^[20][21] defeating his closest rival, Sheikh Yaqub of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), by a margin of 114,799 votes.^{[citation needed]} Waqas Akram's campaign, which focused on major problems of Jhang with the youth, resonated with voters, leading to his decisive win. With this victory, Waqas Akram becomes the new representative for NA-109 Jhang.

Waqas' father Sheikh Muhammad Akram is currently a member of the Punjab Assembly from the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council.^[22]