Bashir Maan

Bashir Maan CBE (born October 1926) is an Asian-Scottish politician, businessman and writer. He was born in Maan village, near Qila Didar Singh , Gujranwala District . He was an undergraduate and worked as a clerk when he decided to leave for the United Kingdom. He arrived in Glasgow from his native Pakistan in March 1953 at the age of 26. By 1967, he was a magistrate. He opened one of the first shops in Glasgow selling alcohol at heavily discounted prices. He subsequently sold this side of his business concerns due to the conflict that it had with his Religious beliefs.¹ In 1970 he was the first Muslim to be elected to a public office in the United Kingdom, to serve as a Labour councillor for the Kingston ward of the City of Glasgow Corporation.² He allowed his Labour Party membership to lapse over the Blair/Bush Iraq invasion. He played a major role in bringing the Muslim community together in Glasgow and having their own grand mosque and a center of congregation. He made efforts to give the community confidence and integrate in the Scottish society. He visited Bosnia and Herzegovina with many Scottish Christian leaders and made the plight of the Muslims known to all. He raised funds and collected aid. He highlighted the positive role of Pakistan Army troops serving as UN peacekeepers there to the world through a series of articles. He has been awarded honorary degrees by three Scottish universities. He is a personal friend of Sajad Ahmed Rana, who was involved with the alleged abduction in 2006 of his daughter, Misbah Rana . Maan made a number of public criticism of Mr. Rana's ex-wife and mother of his daughter . "Terror debate raises stark views" , BBC News Scotland, 2007-07-08 " "Molly begged to be taken back to Pakistan, says father's friend" " .³