Dr. Ashraf Choudhary made history in becoming the first-ever elected Pakistani MP to the New Zealand Parliament! He again, made history by becoming the first New Zealand parliamentarian to swear allegiance on the Quran. Choudhury, a Labour MP, went ahead with his plans to take oath on the Quran in the face of criticism that he was breaking a "centuries-old tradition" by doing so, but he had to bring his own Quran on which to take the oath. Choudhary donated his Quran to parliamentary officials, who did not have one.
Choudhary, born to a poor farming family in Punjab province before migrating to New Zealand in 1976. A Pakistani agro-scientist, Dr. Ashraf Chaudhry, a graduate of Faisalabad's Agriculture University, pursued higher studies in UK and after obtaining his doctorate, found a job in Massey University of New Zealand where he had been teaching as professor. He left the university after election as Member of Parliament. While Dr. Chaudhry was nominated by the Labor Party, with which he was associated as a candidate no less for his distinguished contribution to agriculture sector. He specialises in agricultural engineering, his internationally recognised work into 'zero tillage' -- ways of planting crops without ploughing. The technology he helped develop has been used around the world and he is an international authority on conservation tillage technology.
It's a long way from the Punjab, his village of 'Jajy' near Sialkot, to Palmerston North in New Zealand. And it's even further from life as a peasant to a politician. But these are both journeys Ashraf Choudhary has made. The enthusiasm, courage, and determination has rewarded him appropriately. Despite of his living in New Zealand since 1976, Dr. Ashraf Choudhary has never forgotten his Brothers and Sisters back home or his village'Jajy'!
His parents were illiterate, never having the opportunity to go to school, instead working their small holding at Jajy as the family had done for generations. But Mohammed Boota was adamant his son wouldn't suffer the same 'blindness' he had. With nine children, the peasant farmer couldn't afford to send all his children to school so it was Ashraf, the oldest son, who was chosen to carry the family's hopes. Dr. Ashraf Choudhary remembers the 13km round trip he used to make by foot to his school in Sialkot! He remembers all the sacrifices that his parents had made so that he could continue with his education. He remembers as to how his family managed to save enough to send him to Faisalabad to study agriculture.
He is living happily with wife Samina, who is from Lahore, and three children, Anwar, Mehreen and Atif.
"These feelings for the underdog have always been with me.", he says.
He points to his expertise in farming, education, science and research, the environment and conservation and hopes he doesn't end up just being a spokesman for minority ethnic groups. He regularly visits Pakistan where his sisters and brothers remain, along with hundreds of memories from his childhood.
"It's been a long journey for me and I'm very proud of all that."