# Amir Muqam

Amir Muqam is a Pakistani politician who is serving as the Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit Baltistan along with States and frontier regions in second Shehbaz Sharif cabinet. He is affiliated with PML(N) and serving as its Provincial President in Khyber pakhtunkhwa. He was a close aide to former military dictator Pervez Musharraf. He previously served as advisor to the prime minister on political affairs in the Third Nawaz Sharif ministry and Abbasi government. He is also a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2013. Muqam has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since February 29, 2024.
Subsequently, on March 11, 2024, he assumed office as a federal minister in the Shehbaz Sharif cabinet, overseeing the ministries of States and Frontier Regions, along with National Heritage and Culture.

## Early life

Amir Muqam was born at village Chagum Puran Tehsil in Shangla town, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on 25 July 1963 into a Pakhtoon family. After matriculating from a local high school, Muqam enrolled at the University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar in 1983 to study engineering. In 1988, Muqam graduated from UET Peshawar with BSc in Mechanical engineering. His brother Ibadullah Khan is also politician in Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N).

## Political career

In 1998, Muqam was elected as general secretary of the Cantonments Association till he remained until 2001. In 2001, Muqam was elected unopposed as Nazim of Bengali Chagum Union Council after participating in local government elections. Amir Muqam won 2002 Pakistani general election on the ticket of Muttahida Majlis Amal from NA-31 constituency. However, after winning elections Muqam defected to PML(Q) to support Gen. Pervez Musharraf. During Pervez Musharraf tenure he enjoyed close ties with him, Pervez Musharraf called him his brother and gifted him a personal Glock pistol. Muqam was made Minister of State for Water and Power and Political Affairs. Muqam won the general elections from NA 38 Shangla on PML(Q) ticket. He obtained 25,960 against his opponent Safeer Khan from ANP.
Before 2013 Pakistani general election he left PML(Q) on reportedly some difference with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Muqam announced to join the PML(N) after holding a meeting with Nawaz Sharif and was appointed Senior vice President of the party.
Amir Muqam contested from NA-30 (Swat-II) in 2013 Pakistani general election, however, he lost the seat from Salim Rehman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
In 2018 Pakistani general election Muqam contested two national assembly and two provisional assembly seats, however, he lost all fours seats. From NA-2 (Swat-I) he got 41125 votes and stood second, from NA-29 (Peshawar-III) he stood fifth and obtained just 10569 votes. He also lost two provisional seats PK-2 (Swat) and PK 4 (Swat 3).

## Electoral history
### 2002

Amir Muqam contested the elections on MMA ticket however, after winning the election he defected to General Pervaiz Musharraf's PML(Q).
2002 General Election: NA-31 (Shangla) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | MMA | Amir Muqam | 25,960 | 43.21 |
| | ANP | Safeer Khan | 18,676 | 31.08 |
| | PPPP | Afsar-ul-Mulk | 11,769 | 19.59 |
| | PML-N | Jamal Zeb Khan | 2,743 | 4.56 |
| | Independent | Muhammad Saleem Khan | 531 | 0.88 |
| | Independent | Ibadullah | 406 | 0.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,284 | 12.13 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,085 | 27.40 |
| | MMA gain from Independent | MMA gain from Independent | | |

### 2008

Muqam contested 2008 Pakistani general election on PML(Q)'s ticket and won from NA-31 (Shangla). However, later he developed a difference with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and joined PML(N).
2008 General Election: NA-31 (Shangla) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PML | Engineer Amir Muqam | 26,928 | 42.40 | |
| | ANP | Sadid ur Rehman | 15,740 | 24.78 | −6.30 |
| | PPPP | Dr Afsar ul Mulk Khan | 12,999 | 20.47 | +0.88 |
| | MMA | Rahat Hussain | 6,477 | 10.20 | −33.01 |
| | Independent | Safeer Khan | 1,171 | 1.85 | |
| | Independent | Muhammad Saleem | 193 | 0.30 | −0.58 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,188 | 17.62 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,508 | 26.04 | −1.36 |
| | PML gain from MMA | PML gain from MMA | | | |

### 2013

Amir Muqam Contested 2013 from NA-30 (Swat-II) however, he lost the seat from Salim Rehman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
General Election 2013: NA-30 (Swat-II) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | PTI | Salim Rehman | 49,976 | 31.49 |
| | PML(N) | Amir Muqam | 33,027 | 20.81 |
| | JUI (F) | Muhammad Hafiz-ur-Rahman | 16,704 | 10.52 |
| | PPP | Syed Allauddin | 16,373 | 10.32 |
| | ANP | Khurshid | 15,595 | 9.83 |
| | JI | Fazal-e-Subhan | 11,367 | 7.16 |
| Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | 158,717 | 95.64 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 7,228 | 4.36 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 165,945 | 35.88 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,949 | 10.68 |
| | PTI gain from PPP | PTI gain from PPP | PTI gain from PPP | PTI gain from PPP |

### 2018

In 2018, Amir Muqam contested two provisional seats NA-29 (Peshawar-III) and NA-2 (Swat-I). He finished fourth in NA-29 (Peshawar-III) and second in NA-2 (Swat-I). He also contested two provisional seats PK-2 (Swat) and PK 4 (Swat 3) and lost both.
General election 2018: NA-29 (Peshawar-III) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PTI | Nasir Khan Yousafzai | 49,762 | 39.64 | |
| | MMA | Naeem Jan | 29,357 | 23.38 | |
| | ANP | Arbab Kamal Ahmed Khan | 20,392 | 16.24 | |
| | PML(N) | Amir Muqam | 15,458 | 12.31 | |
| | TLP | Muhammad Shafeeq | 10,569 | 8.42 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 130,157 | 40.62 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 125,538 | 96.45 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 4,619 | 3.55 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,405 | 16.26 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 320,401 | | |
| | PTI win (new seat) | PTI win (new seat) | PTI win (new seat) | PTI win (new seat) | PTI win (new seat) |
General election 2018: NA-2 (Swat-I) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| PTI | Haider Ali Khan | 61,687 | 37.21 |
| PML(N) | Amir Muqam | 41,125 | 24.81 |
| MMA | Naveed Iqbal | 18,055 | 10.89 |
| PPP | Amjad Ali Khan | 16,018 | 9.66 |
| ANP | Mumtaz Ahmed Chamoot | 14,618 | 8.82 |
| Others | Others (five candidates) | 5,557 | 3.35 |

## Controversies and Scandals

The National Accountability Bureau summoned Muqam in assets beyond his known sources cases multiple times. A new reference was filed against Amir Muqam in 2021.
Amir Muqam's son was arrested over corruption charges in the construction of Alpari Road in KP's Shangla district by Federal Investigation Agency, the project was assigned during Pakistan Muslim League (N) tenure on the recommendation of Ameer Muqam.