Media tycoon Mohsin Naqvi turns 47

Mohsin Naqvi, the man who has proven his mettle in business, politics, sports and diplomacy, celebrates his 47th birthday today, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.

From humble beginnings to holding the reins of some of Pakistan’s most powerful institutions, Naqvi’s life mirrors the story of ambition, resilience and extraordinary drive.

Known in political and media circles as a symbol of courage, progress and success, Naqvi has left his mark in every field he has entered.

As the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, he was credited with transforming the province’s administrative landscape.

His rapid pace of governance earned him the popular title “Mohsin Speed”, as he completed in weeks what others could not accomplish in years.

Now serving as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Naqvi continues to hold an unusual dual portfolio, balancing national security with the country’s most beloved sport.

Today, as he turns 47, congratulatory messages have poured in from around the world, from political leaders, diplomats, athletes and media figures alike, acknowledging his achievements and the speed with which he has ascended Pakistan’s power structure.

Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was born on 28 October 1978 in Lahore, Punjab, into a Punjabi Syed family with ancestral roots in Jhang. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his maternal uncle.

Naqvi received his primary education at the Crescent Model Higher Secondary School, later attended Government College University in Lahore, and then proceeded to Ohio University in the United States, where he earned a degree in journalism.

His early career saw him intern with the American cable-news channel (CNN). He covered Pakistan as a producer and was later promoted to regional head for South Asia in the post-9/11 period.

In 2009, he founded the City Media Group: his first channel was City 42, and he expanded into additional television channels (24 News, Channel 21, City 41, and Rohi) and a newspaper, even launching an international channel in the UK (C44).

On January 22, 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) appointed Naqvi as caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

On 11 March 2024, he was sworn in as Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control. To hold a full federal ministerial portfolio, he contested the 2024 Senate election as an independent with backing from coalition parties, including the People's Party and Nawaz League, and was sworn in as a senator in April 2024.

On 22 January 2024, he was elected unopposed as the 37th chairman of the PCB on 6 February 2024 for a three-year term. In April 2025, he also assumed the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).