UK multi-millionaire becomes AJK assembly member on overseas seat

• PM and Iqbal have known each other for several years.
• Iqbal’s rise to becoming a multi-millionaire is a rags-to-riches story. 
• He has managed PTI's finances in the UK for several years.

LONDON: Muhammad Iqbal, a multi-millionaire from the United Kingdom, has become a member of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly on the seat reserved for overseas Kashmiris.

The businessman — commonly known as Mo Iqbal — from Stoke-on-Trent was able to become the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for AJK with Prime Minister Imran Khan's support.

The premier and Iqbal have known each other for several years and the businessman not only manages PTI’s finances in the UK, but he has also led PTI's Finance Board for the UK and some other chapters for over a decade.

Iqbal’s role included maintaining paid memberships, keeping finances in control, filing annual accounts and compliance, verifications, and organising annual elections of the paid members.

The newly-elected member, whose parents had migrated from AJK to Britain decades ago, is the chairman of an online tile retailer "Tile Mountain" which is based in Stoke-on-Trent.

At the firm, he employs more than 300 people and his annual turnover is estimated to be over £60 million.

Mo Iqbal’s rise to becoming a multi-millionaire is a rags-to-riches story.  He started working at the age of 17, sweeping floors at Topps Tiles, where he became the manager later on.

After gaining a few years of experience, he, along with two work colleagues, set up the Tile Mountain company where he serves as the chairman today. Tile Mountain is one of the largest privately-owned tile retailers of its kind in the UK.

In 2017, Iqbal relocated his business to a new £10 million purpose-built 120,000 square-foot headquarters and his staff strength grew from around two dozen to over 300 today.

Following his victory, PTI Information Secretary UK Jabar Farooq Chohan said: “Congratulations on behalf of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf UK on the election of Muhammad Iqbal as MLA in Azad Kashmir Assembly." 

"Muhammad Iqbal is a long-time associate of the PTI UK and has been serving as a member of PTI UK and sponsoring the Finance Board for many years. PTI UK is the largest overseas chapter of PTI with the highest annual membership in all overseas regions. We are proud that Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed confidence in a long-serving PTI UK activist.”