Nabil Gabol

Nabil Ahmad Khan Gabol (Urdu: سردار نبیل احمد خان گبول ‎) (Balochi: سردار نبیل احمد خان گبول ) (born 16 November 1962) is a politician from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Gabol has served as a Minister in the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan, for the portfolio of Ministry of Ports and Shipping, with his most notable contribution being the formal inauguration of the Gwadar Port in December 2008.^[1] He has been elected thrice as Member Provincial Assembly of Sindh and thrice as Member National Assembly of Pakistan.

Early life and education

Nabil Gabol is the son of Ahmed Khan Gabol, and grandson of Allah Bakhsh Gabol, who was the first Deputy Speaker of Sindh Assembly and twice mayor of Karachi.^[2]

Although the Gabol tribe is very large, Nabil Gabol's immediate family has a separate entity and recognition apart from the tribe, noted as landowners and politicians. He has two other brothers who chose to stay away from politics, and are successful businessmen. Gabol, on the other hand, always enjoyed being with his tribe along with having a strong desire to continue the Gabol political dynasty started by his grandfather in 1927.

Gabol received his early education from St Patrick's High School, Karachi. After continuing his higher studies in Los Angeles, California he returned to Pakistan and completed his degree from Karachi University in 1982.^[3]

Political and Tribal life

Nabil Gabol is the Chief Sardar of the Gabol Baloch tribe settled in Karachi, Baran, Jacobabad, Sibi, Dadu, Kashmore, Ghotki, Badin, Alipur, Rajanpur, and many other areas including Gabols in Saudi Arabia.^[4]

At the age of 24 he entered politics and became Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh at the age of 25 in 1988. In 2013 he was elected to Parliament for the sixth time and third consecutive time as Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.^[5] Aside from being a member of the Provincial and National Assembly of Pakistan several times, Gabol holds the distinction of being the youngest Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly in 1993.^[6]

Gabol was part of a special PPP team to provide relief and reconciliation to Balochistan.^[7] He played a pivotal role in dissolving the Balochistan political crisis in March 2009.^[8] On his official trip to the United States, he was welcomed to the Illinois House of Representatives as a man "noted for his conciliatory approach to regional and organizational conflicts".^[9]

In 2011 he resigned from his post as Federal Minister in the Cabinet of Pakistan after some differences arose between him and the President Asif Ali Zardari over target killings in Karachi and a lack of government action towards stopping the atrocities.^[10] On 17 March 2013, Gabol left PPP and joined MQM, declaring that PPP is no longer the party of Benazir Bhutto or Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.^[11] In early 2015 he resigned from his National Assembly seat as well as from MQM declaring that the current National Assembly is illegitimate as a result of massive election rigging.

Personal life

Nabil Gabol enjoys outdoor life, especially in his territory around the Kirthar Mountains. His other hobbies include hunting, collecting guns and world travel.^[12] Gabol is also a licensed pilot with a Private Pilot License, and occasionally flies Cessna aircraft for recreation.^[13] He has two sons, the eldest being Nadir Khan Gabol, who is currently serving as a Pakistani diplomat in the USA, and Asad Khan Gabol, who is a student at the London School of Economics and Polictical Science (LSE).^[14]

References