Ali Shahzad

Ali Shahzad is the biological father of Shaq Qureshi. A postgraduate at university, Ali sexually assaulted an eighteen-year-old Misbah Maalik. Misbah informed him that she was pregnant, to which Ali disappeared. Having been born out of wedlock, Shaq was given to Misbah's sister Hasina to raise.

In September 2021, Ali arrived at Dee Valley University Hospital, having accepted a job as head of oncology after Cleo McQueen mistakenly told the HR department that Misbah Maalik had recommended Ali for the job. Misbah was greatly disturbed to find Ali, and left student nurse Cleo to care for Marnie Nightingale, who had injured herself after slipping on wet flooring. Marnie went into anaphylactic shock due to an allergy to the pain medication and Ali suspended Cleo and Misbah.

After Verity Hutchinson did some investigating, Shaq Qureshi (Misbah's biological son) revealed that Ali was his biological father. Ali was initially furious and confronted a petrified Misbah, but ultimately decided that he wanted a role in his son's life. Misbah also revealed that Ali had attempted to pressure her into aborting Shaq, but Ali managed to convince Shaq to forgive him.

Ali met Mandy Richardson who was struggling with panic attacks due to the stress of her strained relationship with her daughter Ella. Ali walked Mandy home and spoke with her about her troubles. The pair later began a relationship, with Ali even arranging for her son to see a consultant in London regarding his spina bifida. However, Mandy ended up breaking up with Ali after he began pushing her aside and standing her up on dates in favour of seeing Shaq.

At the disciplinary hearing for malpractice in October, Ali informed Cleo that he had decided that she would face no consequences but issued Misbah with a formal warning. Shaq pleaded with Ali to consider for his sake, and Ali informed Misbah that he had decided to revoke the warning. Misbah was annoyed with Shaq's interference, subsequently pushing Shaq closer to Ali.

After Ali was granted a research grant, Shaq and Ali convinced Misbah to make a speech speaking highly of Ali at the hospital ball. Ali read over Misbah's draft and criticised it, with Misbah refusing to change the speech for him. Whilst reading the speech, Misbah became disoriented and ran from the stage, later revealing to her family that Shaq was conceived through rape. Shaq immediately disowned Ali, even nearly striking him with a metal water pitcher until Sami Maalik intervened.

Following the ceremony, Ali began setting his sights on Cleo. A concerned Misbah, desperate to stop Cleo from experiencing the abuse she had experienced whilst with Ali, decided to report him to the police. However, Ali told Misbah about Shaq threatening to assault him and used it to blackmail her into keeping quiet. Shaq later confronted Ali during an interview with a Chester Herald journalist, resulting in Gina Gregson - a woman who had also been raped by Ali - to contact Misbah. Misbah made a statement against Ali, but he was released due to a lack of evidence. Sami threatened to have Ali murdered if he did not confess which Ali did, but D.S. Cohen refused to let him leave after retracting his confession due to Misbah managing to convince Gina to also make a statement against him.

Shaq visited Ali in prison, with Ali convincing him that they were alike and subsequently causing issues in his relationship with Verity. After learning that the CPS was dropping Misbah's case against Ali due to a premature article in The Chester Herald, Misbah visited him in prison and received closure. At the trial in June, Ali was exonerated after evidence not disclosed to the defence team was discovered, and another victim retracted their statement. He was subsequently released and - after holding a press conference with his solicitor Julian - returned to working at the hospital alongside Misbah.

After performing a surgery on Serena Chen-Williams to repair her damaged leg, Ali was suspended due to the damage he had caused and the fact that he was unqualified to carry out the procedure. He claimed to panel member Dawn Wilson that he was suffering from PTSD, and lied during the panel meeting that nurse Peri Lomax had threatened to make a fake sexual assault allegation against him. However, Misbah and Peri's testimonies were enough to turn Ali's good friend, panel chairman Nigel Portland, against Ali. He was ordered to leave the hospital, and ended up being arrested due to putting up a fight with security. The next day, the panel revealed that Ali had had his medical licence revoked.

List of appearances[]

2021[]

2022[]

No. of episodes: 10

Ali Shahzad

List of appearances[]

2021[]

2022[]

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