Mohammad Rafique Malik

Mohammad Rafique Malik who has served Daneshouse with Stoneyholme Ward of Burnley as Labour Councillor for over a quarter of century is now retired but with a rich background that includes teaching, politics, housing, race equality, and neighbourhood renewal.

He currently works two days a week at a solicitor's office helping out on immigration issues and has just joined the Community Forum, set up by the Government to get people's views on how best to improve the most deprived areas of England and attending meetings up to four times a year, as well as 'away-days' for an in-depth look at particular issues people are interested in.

Rafique Malik has been both chair and vice-chair of the Burnley Racial Equality Council over a period spanning 20 years. He has been the Mayor of Burnley Borough Council, cabinet member on the council for Social Exclusion and Welfare and chairman of the Jinnah Community Development Trust.

He has lived and worked in deprived areas for over a couple of decades, and hopes to find a mechanism for turning around deprived, largely working class areas without any distinction of whether white or black.

Rafique Malik believes that it's all about tackling poverty and is passionate about changing things in the most deprived and disappointed communities. He also believes that people are lacking the facilities and amenities they need and we need to come up with some radical solutions and ideas.

Mohammad Rafique Malik was born in Lalamusa, District Gujrat, Pakistan and after completing his education he started his career as a teacher in Pakistan, before arriving in the UK in early 60’s and is a proud father with his son Shahid Malik to follow his foot-steps in serving the community who has been elected as Labour Member Parliament from Dewsbury during 2005, General Elections.