Councillor Shaukat Ali, Lord Mayor
Councillor Shaukat Ali was born in District Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan in 1965. He was raised in the village of Batli in Kashmir, where he completed his education at a local school up to matriculation level (equivalent to GCSEs). Coming from humble beginnings, his early life was shaped by strong community values and a commitment to hard work.
In 1982, at the age of 16, Councillor Ali came to Manchester, with no prior knowledge of the English language. He entered the workforce and spent several years employed in the textile manufacturing sector. He later became self-employed, successfully running a furniture business and subsequently a small food outlet. He also obtained a licence to operate as a taxi driver in Manchester, a role he held for several years. Alongside work, Councillor Ali attended evening classes to learn English and later completed an I.T. diploma at City College Manchester.
Councillor Ali has long been dedicated to community service and to improving the lives of local residents. He attributes this strong sense of social responsibility to the influence of his late father, who inspired him to serve others and contribute positively to the wider community. During Covid-19 Councillor Ali volunteered with a local charity, Rainbow Surprise, to help deliver essential food for residents in and around North Manchester.
Councillor Ali was first elected as a councillor in 2012, accumulating since over 13 years of experience in local government. During this time, he has served on a range of committees, including the Planning and Highways Committee, Neighbourhood Committee, and Children’s Scrutiny Committee. He has also been a member of the Northwards Housing Board and the Pennine Acute Health Board and has served on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Waste Authority.
Councillor Ali is married to Kausar Parveen and together they have four children - two sons and two daughters. Councillor Ali enjoys watching cricket, having previously played as an all-rounder mainly fast bowler. He also enjoys walking in the countryside.
During his year of office, Councillor Ali has chosen to dedicate his tenure to supporting children in social care and to promoting community cohesion by fostering unity among diverse communities.
Kausar Parveen, Lady Mayoress
Kausar was born in Kashmir. Kausar married Shaukat in February 1990 and joined him in Manchester later that year.
Kausar has been a proud homemaker. She has raised four children, two sons and two daughters. Three are graduates and all working in different fields. The eldest daughter is a trainee teacher and the two sons graduated some years ago in business and finance/management. The youngest daughter attends a local high school. It has been a great achievement for Kausar to see her children rise to their potential and achieve their life goals.
Kausar has been instrumental in Shaukat’s successes in life, helping him campaign for local elections. Kausar feels proud and honoured to support the good work her husband is doing helping the people of Cheetham and contributing to the development of this wonderful area.
Kausar enjoys cooking, baking, gardening and travelling.
Deputy Lord Mayor
The Deputy Lord Mayor is Councillor Jill Lovecy.