Ayla Malik, the scion of a feudal family, is a Pakistani stateswoman who served as a Member of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2007 on a reserved seat for women.
The granddaughter of Malik Amir Mohammad Khan of Kalabagh, a powerful feudal and former governor of West Pakistan, was born on October 6, 1970, in Mianwali.
Ayla’s sibling Sumaira Malik is also a politician who had been a member of the National Assembly till 2013. They are the nieces of eighth Pakistani president Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari.
Ayla Malik entered politics in the ’90s by becoming a member of the Farooq Leghari-led Millat Party. She first served as Deputy Secretary General of the Millat Party and later joined Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) in 2011 where she served as campaign manager of ousted premier Imran Khan in Mianwali.
The former ruling party did not get enough seats to nominate Ayla Malik to the Parliament. Imran Khan then decided to field her in his hometown seat in Mianwali in by elections, after he decided to keep the Rawalpindi seat.
The PTI leader also tried her luck in broadcast journalism as she hosted a current affairs program “Situation Room with Ayla Malik” on Dunya News.
In the year 2013, Malik suffered injuries after unidentified persons attacked her convoy in her hometown.
She remained active in politics on and off while her career has been marred by several scandals.
From holding fake educational certificates to defaulting on Rs40 million loan from Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, she remained in news over the years and was disqualified from contesting the Mianwali by-election in 2013.
Recently, the former minister was trending on social sites for allegedly being featured in an audio conversation with PTI Chairman Imran Khan. A debate has started on social platforms with people questioning the self-fashioned populist leader’s conduct while Ayla remains tightlipped about the leaks.
