Scotland gets first Asian provost

Mushtaq Ahmad, a Pakistani born in India, has been elected to the high-profile post, writes Nabanita Sircar.

Scotland has finally got its first Asian provost. A Scots council has elected Mushtaq Ahmad, a Pakistani born in India for the high-profile position.

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Ahmad will take over the position when the new administration at South Lanarkshire Council meets for the first time since the election. Councillor Ahmad has been deputy provost for the authority for the past three years.

Ahmad, 61, was born in India and spent much of his youth in Pakistan before coming to the UK in 1962. He was a teacher and became the first organiser of the Adult Literacy Programme in Lanarkshire in 1977.

Provost Ahmad has worked for the council for 15 years and has chaired a number of council committees in his role as a councillor.