Sirajul Haq has become the emir of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) after defeating Syed Munawar Hasan, who had become controversial after he declared terrorist commander Hakimullah Mehsud a martyr and said the term could not be used for Pakistan Army’s soldiers fighting against the Taliban.
Siraj comes from Dir. He has participated in the Afghan Jihad, and is like his predecessor in many respects. They share similar views on Taliban, the role of women in the Pakistani society, and ties with US and India. Both have a soft corner for the Taliban because they are Muslim, and are ready to ignore such barbaric acts as beheading of soldiers and playing football with the severed heads.
[quote]Siraj is a personal friend of Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah[/quote]
The only difference between him and his predecessor is that Munawar Hassan had never participated in Jihad, and was not a personal friend of Pakistani Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah. Siraj’s election is therefore an alarming news for every citizen who wants Pakistan to be a civilized, modern democratic and progressive country.
Siraj’s ascent to power is a major change even within the conservative framework of JI. The party has never voted out a serving emir before, unless they chose not to run. JI founder Abul Ala Maudoodi was the emir of the group for 31 years before he resigned because of health. His successor Mian Tufail spent 15 years in office before he quit, also citing health. Qazi Hussain was the emir of JI for 22 years, before he resigned. But Munawar Hassan was in office for one five-year term only, and was running for a second term.
Jamaat-e-Islami had emerged as a popular religious party among educated middle class Pakistanis, but during Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s tenure, his critics said the group had been confined to what is now the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sirajul Haq’s election has shrunk the party to a corner of Upper Dir.
The party has recently come under severe criticism because of the political and ideological positions it has taken. Munawar Hassan, who was criticized for calling Hakimullah Mehsud a martyr, had said not too long ago in a TV interview that Hakimullah Mehsud did not exist. He had also said rape survivors should not report the crime unless they can produce four male witnesses who have seen the act of penetration. His statement that soldiers at war with the Taliban were not martyrs because they were fighting for infidels angered the army. It sought an unconditional apology, but did not get one. Some of his bizarre statements made him unpopular within the Jamaat as well.
Sirajul Haq may be a narrow-minded cleric, but he is definitely not as imprudent as his predecessor. The JI will not become progressive or liberal during his tenure, but it may reverse its Deoband-like Jihad narrative, despite the fact that Siraj himself belongs to the Deoband school of thought.
The election does highlight the fact that at least as far as its internal affairs are concerned, the party believes in democracy and transparency. It has no factions. The JI has especially been praised for its charity work. But it has failed to win public support. The little votes it gets in the elections come from its own members. Many citizens like me would participate in its charity or relief campaigns, but do not vote for it. Sirajul Haq’s biggest challenge is to find out why.
A major reason for the problems JI faces is that it is simultaneously a religious movement and a political party. If it wants to change the society by winning votes, then it will have to coexist with other parties and respect the progressive values of a majority of people of Pakistan and the rest of the world. For that, the party will have to make sure it stops Munawar Hassan from making any more absurd statements.
The writer is our correspondent in Islamabad.
Archived work: www.pol-dev.com
Email: yamankalyan@gmail.com
Siraj comes from Dir. He has participated in the Afghan Jihad, and is like his predecessor in many respects. They share similar views on Taliban, the role of women in the Pakistani society, and ties with US and India. Both have a soft corner for the Taliban because they are Muslim, and are ready to ignore such barbaric acts as beheading of soldiers and playing football with the severed heads.
[quote]Siraj is a personal friend of Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah[/quote]
The only difference between him and his predecessor is that Munawar Hassan had never participated in Jihad, and was not a personal friend of Pakistani Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah. Siraj’s election is therefore an alarming news for every citizen who wants Pakistan to be a civilized, modern democratic and progressive country.
Siraj’s ascent to power is a major change even within the conservative framework of JI. The party has never voted out a serving emir before, unless they chose not to run. JI founder Abul Ala Maudoodi was the emir of the group for 31 years before he resigned because of health. His successor Mian Tufail spent 15 years in office before he quit, also citing health. Qazi Hussain was the emir of JI for 22 years, before he resigned. But Munawar Hassan was in office for one five-year term only, and was running for a second term.
Jamaat-e-Islami had emerged as a popular religious party among educated middle class Pakistanis, but during Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s tenure, his critics said the group had been confined to what is now the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sirajul Haq’s election has shrunk the party to a corner of Upper Dir.
The party has recently come under severe criticism because of the political and ideological positions it has taken. Munawar Hassan, who was criticized for calling Hakimullah Mehsud a martyr, had said not too long ago in a TV interview that Hakimullah Mehsud did not exist. He had also said rape survivors should not report the crime unless they can produce four male witnesses who have seen the act of penetration. His statement that soldiers at war with the Taliban were not martyrs because they were fighting for infidels angered the army. It sought an unconditional apology, but did not get one. Some of his bizarre statements made him unpopular within the Jamaat as well.
Sirajul Haq may be a narrow-minded cleric, but he is definitely not as imprudent as his predecessor. The JI will not become progressive or liberal during his tenure, but it may reverse its Deoband-like Jihad narrative, despite the fact that Siraj himself belongs to the Deoband school of thought.
The election does highlight the fact that at least as far as its internal affairs are concerned, the party believes in democracy and transparency. It has no factions. The JI has especially been praised for its charity work. But it has failed to win public support. The little votes it gets in the elections come from its own members. Many citizens like me would participate in its charity or relief campaigns, but do not vote for it. Sirajul Haq’s biggest challenge is to find out why.
A major reason for the problems JI faces is that it is simultaneously a religious movement and a political party. If it wants to change the society by winning votes, then it will have to coexist with other parties and respect the progressive values of a majority of people of Pakistan and the rest of the world. For that, the party will have to make sure it stops Munawar Hassan from making any more absurd statements.
The writer is our correspondent in Islamabad.
Archived work: www.pol-dev.com
Email: yamankalyan@gmail.com