Mian Muhammad Sharif Founder of the Ittefaq Group of Industries
Mian Muhammad Sharif Founder of the Ittefaq Group of Industries

Biography of Mian Muhammad Sharif

Early Life

Mian Muhammad Sharif founder of the Ittefaq Group of Industries was born in Amritsar, British India in 1920. He belonged to a family of upper middle class. In his carrier he became a businessman and a well-known industrialist. After the independence of Pakistan on 14th August 1947, he migrated from hometown of Amritsar district to newly born state Pakistan. His parents and forefathers were from Anantang, Kashmir. The background of his family is basically from the area of valley of Kashmir.

Founder of Ittefaq Group

He was one of the seven brothers. He with his other six brothers founded a foundry in 1939. That foundry developed into a business empire of steel mills after several years. That business empire became the Ittefaq Group of Industries.

During the era of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, his business faced severe loss because of the nationalization in 1972. He developed good relations with the General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq who was a military General. In 1980 that military general came into power by using his power and given back the Ittefaq Group to the Sharif family again. After taking back his company he developed his business so much and almost 30 other businesses were evolved from that small foundry then.

Ittefaq Group

Ittefaq Group of Industries is a group of companies in Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The main industry of this group is a steel mill which is centered in Pakistan’s province of Punjab. It was founded by Muhammad Sharif as a foundry initially.

Involvement in Politics

He was involved in the field of politics not directly but indirectly through his two sons who were actively involved in politics. His two sons named Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were well-known politicians. Mr. Nawaz Sharif became the Prime Minister of Pakistan while Mr. Shahbaz Sharif was the chief minister of Punjab province.

Apart from his family he had also good relations with General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq who given back his industry after nationalization. He also referenced one of his close friends named Muhammad Rafiue Tarrar to his son Nawaz Sharif who was a Prime Minister that time, to chose Rafiq as the president of Pakistan.

As a Welfare Worker

He did so many works of welfare in his life. The main project of welfare initiated by him was the development of Sharif Medical City, which he founded in the city of Raiwind, Pakistan. He helped so many poor people by giving charity to them. He also founded another steel mill in Saudi Arabia with the name of Azizia Steel Mills.

Death

He died in the month of October in year 2004. The cause of his death was a Cardiac arrest from which he suffered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He left Pakistan because of the case of hijacking on his son Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He died at the age of 84 years. He was very lucky because his funerals took place in Masjid al- Haram and after that his body was taken back to his native town Raiwind, Lahore and buried there. He left a daughter and three sons behind him after death.