Cllr Muhammad Afzal to become Birmingham’s new Lord Mayor.

BIRMINGHAM: Councillor Muhammad Azfal is set to become city’s new Lord Mayor. The veteran Labour politician was elected to be the “First Citizen” of the city where he’s lived for more than 50 years now. Muhammad Afzal, who was first elected as a councillor way back in 1982 from city’s Aston Ward, is currently the longest serving Muslim councillor in the UK.

Cllr Azfal who originally belongs from Dina, a town near Jhelum Pakistan, came to the UK in 1969. He was also the first Muslim to be elected as a councillor in Birmingham. He will be the fifth Muslim Lord Mayor of Pakistani background. Other four are: Cllr Mahmood Hussain, Cllr Abdul Rashid JP, Cllr Shafiq Shah and current Lord Mayor Cllr Muhammad Azim.

Cllr Mahmood Hussain was the first Muslim Lord Mayor of Birmingham, while Cllr Shafi’s Shah holds the record of being the youngest ever Lord Mayor.

Muhammad Afzal was selected by councils ruling Labour group earlier this week and the announcement was officially made after the full council meeting on Tuesday. He will take up his new role in May this year when the current Lord Mayor Mohammad Azim will step down after completing his one year tenure at the office. Muhammad Afzal has also served as the chair of Labour’s BAME (Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic) group.

Muhammad Afzal was also elected to be the Lord Mayor back in 2016. But soon after he withdrew from running the post after his alleged remarks about then prime minister David Cameron. However, now after four years he’s all set to become the Lord Mayor again. He will be city’s 111th Lord Mayor.

When Cllr Azfal becomes Lord Mayor, as per the tradition, the outgoing Lord Mayor Cllr Azeem will become the deputy Lord Mayor. This will be the first time in the history of Birmingham that both the Lord Mayor and the Deputy Lord Mayor will not only be Muslims but also of Pakistani origin.