Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir

Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk (Urdu: چوہدری محمود بشیر ورک; born 25 December 1937^[1]) is a Pakistani politician who has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since February 2024 and previously served in this position from August 2018 till August 2023. Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 1997 to 1999 and again from March 2008 to May 2018.

Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir
چوہدری محمود بشیر
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 February 2024
Constituency	NA-77 Gujranwala-I
In office 13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
Constituency	NA-80 (Gujranwala-II)
In office 17 March 2008 – 31 May 2018
Constituency	NA-97 (Gujranwala-III)
In office 16 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
Constituency	NA-77 (Gujranwala-IV)
Federal Minister for Law and Justice
In office 9 January 2018 – 31 May 2018
President	Mamnoon Hussain
Prime Minister	Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Preceded by	Zahid Hamid
Personal details
Born	(1937-12-25) 25 December 1937 (age 87)
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	PMLN (1997-present)

He served as Federal Minister for Law and Justice, in Abbasi cabinet from January 2018 to May 2018.

His parents, Bashir Ahmed Virk and Amna Bibi, gave refuge to the family of Capt (retd.) Ajit Singh Butalia at Lahore in 1947.

Political career

He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) from Constituency NA-77 (Gujranwala-IV) in the 1997 Pakistani general election. He received 64,729 votes and defeated Muhammad Aslam Lone, a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).^[2]

He contexted for the seat of the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-97 (Gujranwala-III) in the 2002 Pakistani general election,^[3] but was unsuccessful.^[4] He received 12,491 votes and lost the seat to Chaudhry Shahid Akram Bhinder, a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (Q).^[5]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-97 (Gujranwala-III) in the 2008 Pakistani general election.^[6][4] He received 48,701 votes and defeated Zafar Chaudhary, a candidate of PPP.^[7]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-97 (Gujranwala-III) in the 2013 Pakistani general election.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} He received 104,638 votes and defeated Rana Naeem Ur Rehman Khan, a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.^[13]

In January 2018, Virk was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as a federal minister and was made Minister for Law and Justice.^[14][4] Upon the dissolution of the National Assembly on the expiration of its term on 31 May 2018, Virk ceased to hold the office as Federal Minister for Law and Justice.^[15]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from NA-80 (Gujranwala-II) in the 2018 Pakistani general election.^[16] He received 108,653 votes and defeated Mian Tariq Mehmood, a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).^[17]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from NA-77 Gujranwala-I in the 2024 Pakistani general election. He received 109,704 votes and defeated Rashida Tariq, a Independent politician candidate (PTI). He supported Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.^[18]