Mohammad Asghar
Mohammad Asghar (born 30 September 1945), known as Oscar, is a Welsh politician, who has been a member of the Welsh Conservative Party, the Welsh Labour Party, and Plaid Cymru. He came to prominence after being elected to the Welsh Assembly in 2007 as a member of Plaid Cymru on the list for South Wales East. He is best known for being the first ethnic minority and Muslim member of the Assembly, and being the first AM who was a member of a political party to defect to another party.
Background and career
Born in Peshawar, then in British India, he was the only child to Aslam Khan and Zubaida Aslam. Asghar gained a BA from Peshawar University before moving to Wales to complete a course in accountancy in Newport. Asghar initially joined the Conservative party, remaining a member for some two decades, later joining the Labour party in the 1990s. He joined Plaid Cymru some time after becoming Wales’ first Muslim councillor, representing Victoria ward on Newport City Council. He has stood for Plaid Cymru in general elections. His daughter Natasha Asghar — central to several scandals involving her father's career — also stood as a Plaid Cymru candidate in the 2007 Elections, and also joined the Conservative party at the same time he did so.
