Scotland’s first Muslim cabinet secretary Humza Yousaf was born to his parents Muzaffar Yousaf and Shaaista Bhutta.
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His parents are amongst the first generation immigrants of Scotland.
Muzaffar Yousaf
Yousaf’s father, Muzaffar, was born in Mian Channu, Pakistan, but came to Scotland in the 1960s.
He is a trained accountant.
Shaaista Bhutta
Yousaf’s mother, Shaaista Bhutta, is Kenyan but has South Asian heritage.
Who Is Humza Yousaf?
Humza Yousaf is a Scottish politician and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP).
Born on April 7, 1985, in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Yousaf graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in politics.
He began his political journey when he worked as Communications Officer in the SNP’s headquarters.
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Photo Credit: BBC
Yousaf later went on to work as a parliamentary assistant for the likes of late Bashir Ahmad, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
Yousaf has been Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care since 2021, after serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
He is Scotland’s first South Asian and first Muslim cabinet secretary, and has been the member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow Pollok constituency since 2016.
Other positions he has held include Minister for external affairs and international development, Minister for transport, and justice secretary, during which he introduced the controversial hate crime bill.
Yousaf is regarded as a socially progressive, and a Sturgeon loyalist.
Yousaf became the leader of the SNP on March 27, 2023, after defeating Kate Forbes, by a very narrow margin.
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