- The Lead Assembly Member for South Wales East
- Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills, and Faith
- Mohammad Asghar was born in Peshawar, Pakistan. After gaining a BA in Political Science at Peshawar University, Mohammad moved to London to complete an MBA. He later gained an accountancy qualification, in Newport where he settled with his family.
- After working for a firm of chartered accountants in Newport, Mohammad became the Principal of his own successful Accountancy firm.
- Former councillor for Victoria Ward in Newport
- First ethnic minority AM in the history of the Assembly.
- He is also a Patron of the Welsh Conservative Friends of Pakistan and India
Mohammad Asghar, known as Oscar, is a Welsh Conservative member of the National Assembly for Wales.
He was elected to the National Assembly as a member for South Wales East in 2007 as a member of Plaid Cymru. He is best known for being the first ethnic minority and Muslim member of the Assembly, and for being the first AM who was a member of a political party to defect to another party.
Born in Peshawar, he completed his BA in Political Science at Peshawar University before moving to Wales to complete a course in accountancy in Newport. He is a qualified Pilot and a former Newport City Councillor who fought the 2003 Assembly and 2005 General Election. In 2007, he became the National Assembly for Wales’s first ethnic minority AM.
In December 2009 he became the first sitting AM to cross the floor of the Assembly and joined the Welsh Conservative Party. He is now the Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Faith.
Oscar sits on the Public Accounts Committee and the Economy, Infrastructure, and Skills Committee in the National Assembly.
He is strongly committed to creating a more equal society irrespective of age, disability, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation.
Having a real passion for promoting business and enterprises both nationally and internationally, Oscar has developed firm relations with various countries in the Commonwealth and is an avid supporter and member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Being a very keen sportsman, Mohammad has always encouraged participation in sport for all ages. He had the honour of running with the Olympic Torch in 1964 and campaigns for Wales to have its own Cricket team.
He is a Patron of the charity, Life Map Planners, which is committed to serving children and young people from disadvantaged communities Pan Wales by offering innovative projects that span the field of education, employment, mental health, juvenile and social justice.
Mohammad has previously been a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the UK-Pakistani Chamber of Commerce, AAT, AFA and is also a Member of the Certified Public Accountants Association.