Raja Zafar ul Haq

Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq
Leader of the House for the Senate of Pakistan
In office
12 March 2015 – 24 August 2018
Preceded by Aitzaz Ahsan
Succeeded by Shibli Faraz
Senator from Punjab
Assumed office
12 March 2009
Minister of Religious Affairs
In office
21 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by Jehangir Bader
Succeeded by Dr. Mahmood Ahmed Ghazi
In office
1981–1985
President Zia-ul-Haq
Preceded by Kausar Niazi
Succeeded by Iqbal Ahmad Khan
Pakistan Ambassador to Egypt
In office
1985–1986
President Zia-ul-Haq
Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
In office
1981–1985
President Zia-ul-Haq
Chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Assumed office
20 February 2000
President Shahbaz Sharif
Personal details
Born Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq
(1935-11-18) 18 November 1935
Matore, Punjab, British India
(now in Punjab, Pakistan)
Citizenship  Pakistan
Political party Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Children R. Muhammad Ali
(son)
Alma mater Govt. College University
(B.A. in Phil.)
Punjab University
(LLB, MSc in Poly Sci.)
Profession Lawyer, diplomat

Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq (Urdu: راجہ ظفرالحق; b. 18 November 1935), is a Pakistan Senator from the Punjab, serving since being elected on 12 March 2009.[1] He is the current leader of the opposition in Senate. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a centre-right but conservative party, since 20 February 2000.

A retired diplomat and lawyer by profession, Zafar-ul-Haq has served as the Minister of Religious Affairs in second administration of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from 1997 until being removed in 1999. Haq is known for his views for support of the religious conservatism but strongly advocated for the religious temperance and Humility.[2]

In addition, he is also known for leading the constitutional initiatives to form the inquiry commission on kargil debacle to be investigated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan against Pervez Musharraf whom he saw the latter as "traitor", and voiced support for the civilian control of the military.:35[3]

Biography

Early life and career in law

Zafar-ul-Haq was born in a small village, Matore, located in Kahuta Tehsil, Punjab in India into a Punjabi family on 18 November 1935.[4] His father, Raja Fazal Dad Khan, was an inspector in the Punjab Police Department and attended various high schools in Punjab, and matriculated from Sialkot in 1952.[4][2]

He went to attend the Government College University in Lahore where he secured his graduate with B.A. in Philosophy in 1956.[4] He went to attend the law school of the Punjab University to read law and the political science, graduating with the LLB degree in civil law, and the MSc in political science in 1958.[1][5]

He started practicing law with the law firm, the S.M. Zafar associates, in Lahore, but later moved to Rawalpindi where he took cases and practiced law until 1981.[4] Zafar-ul-Haq moved to Islamabad where he became member of the Supreme Court Bar Association and became the supreme court advocate from 1985 until 1987.[4] In 1977, he was elected as the president of the Rawalpindi Bar Association and was serving as vice president of the Punjab Bar Council in 1981.[6]

Political career

Ambassadorship to Egypt and Religious minister in Sharif administrations

Since 1963, Zafar-ul-Haq had been participating in the national politics on a Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and is known for reflected views on religious conservatism while stressing to adopt the Humility to prevent violence and insanity.[2][6] From 1980-81, Zafar-ul-Haq served as a member on the Panel of Experts for Pakistan Law Commission under the Ministry of Law and Justice.[1] In 1981, he joined the Zia administration as the Information Minister and the Minister of Religious Affairs which served until 1985.[4]

In 1985, President Zia-ul-Haq appointed him as the Pakistan Ambassador to Egypt which he tenured until 1986 when he was appointed as an adviser to Zia administration.[1] He advised Prime Minister Mohammad Junejo on political and legal matters until 1987, and sided to join the Pakistan Muslim League (N) led by its President Fida Mohammad.:335[7] In 1990–91, Zafar-ul-Haq presented Pakistan in the International Law Commission of the United Nations and was elected as Pakistan Senator for the first time in 1991 for a six-year term.[8] In 1992, he was appointed in the Board of Trustees (BoT) of International Islamic University in Islamabad until 1997.[1][9] During this time, he was appointed as the Secretary-General of the World Muslim Congress until 1997.[1]

In 1997, he participated in the nationwide general elections on a Rawalpindi constituency which he successfully defended, and joined the second administration of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the Minister of Religious Affairs.:1–2[10] He played a crucial and vital role in drafting the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan to declare the "Islam as the Supreme Law"— the amendment was passed with the two-thirds majority in the National Assembly (lower house) but failed to be passed in the Senate (Upper house) in 1999.[1]

Over the Kargil conflict in 1999, he reportedly warned the BJP ministry in India of "Pakistan resorting to the nuclear weapons issue if the country's territorial integrity, security and sovereignty is harmed.:157[11] Though, his statement was not taken as serious as he was not involved in the national security matters at that time, and was seen as a political statement which he stated during the meeting with his constituents.:157[11]

In 2000, Zafar-ul-Haq was elected as the Chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), which he is currently serving, whilst Javed Hashmi becoming the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N).:92–93[12]

On 4 December 2001, Zafar-ul-Haq appealed to the religious and conservative mass to call for the massive public demonstration against the Pervez Musharraf, leading the pro-democracy movement with Amin Fahim to restore the civilian control.:68[13][14][4] In 2009 he was elected to the Pakistani Senate for a six-year term. He was elected as the leader of the Independent Opposition Group (consisting of more than 6 parliamentary parties) in the Senate of Pakistan in 2009.

On 15 February 2018, PML(N) announced to appoint Zafar-ul-Haq for the Chairman Senate for the senate elections that were scheduled in 12 March 2018.[15][16] Despite the PML(N) successfully retained the majority in the Senate, Zafar-ul-Haq's bid for the chairmanship was fell short through the number countings and, was defeated by independent Sadiq Sanjrani, who had support from the Asif Zardari and Imran Khan in spite of their disagreement.[17][18]

Upon hearing the news of the number manipulation in the Senate elections, PML(N)'s leadership and the Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi reacted very negatively, and reportedly quoted in the news media that "Sanjrani holds no respect", and calls were made for the reelection of the Senate elections.[19]

On 24 August 2018, he was appointed leader of the opposition in the Senate.[20]

Political positions and views

His views reflected the religious conservatism but has strongly voice for the religious sanity and the interfaith dialogue among the three Abrahamic religions– Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.[2] In his public speaking at the conservative conventions in the country, Zafar-ul-Haq has strongly stressed and argued for the religious temperance.[2]

In 2005, Zafar-ul-Haq demanded the inquiry commission on kargil debacle to be investigated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to point and recommend the punishment for those involved.:35[3]

After his removal from the Minister of Religious Affairs in 1999 due to the military takeover in 1999, Zafar-ul-Haq viewed very negatively of the performance of the Musharraf administration, which he believed was working towards weakening the state on a deliberate international agenda.[2] In an interview in 2012, Zafar-ul-Haq held President Musharraf responsible of promoting religious intolerance in the country by introducing legislative reforms reflecting against the teachings of Islam without the consent of the public.[2] He also accused Musharraf of starting the starting the armed conflict to harm the Kashmir cause, and raised his voice for civilian control of the military.[2] Though, he has repeatedly spoke very high of Nawaz Sharif's services done to the country and Islam, he remained unsympathetic to suicide attacks being taken placed on Pervez Musharraf.[2]

In 2011, he was quoted as saying that Islam is the prime source behind the uprising movements in the Middle East and North Africa.[21] His statement came in response to the European intervention in Libya in favor of the Libyan Opposition.[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Senate press, writers. "Senate of Pakistan". www.senate.gov.pk. Senate Secretariat. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Arif, Adeel (30 June 2013). "Clash of Civilization... Interview with Raja Zafar ul Haq" (dailymotion). vimeo.com (in Urdu). vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 Pakistan Political Perspective. Institute of Policy Studies. 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 POL writers, et.al. "Raja Muhammad Zafar ul Haq". www.pakistanileaders.com.pk. Pakistan Leaders online. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Profile". www.senate.gov.pk. Senate of Pakistan. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  6. 1 2 staff writers, et.al. "Raja Zafar ul Haq". Pakistan Herald. Pakistan Herald, 2018. Pakistan Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Akbar, M. K. (1997). Pakistan from Jinnah to Sharif. New Delhi, India: Mittal Publications. p. 390. ISBN 9788170996743.
  8. ↑ web desk, etl.al. (12 March 2018). "Raja Zafar-ul-Haq profile—Samaa TV". www.samaa.tv. Samaa TV. Samaa TV. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  9. ↑ Senate, Pakistan Archived 28 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ Asian Recorder. K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press. 1997. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  11. 1 2 Lavoy, Peter R.; Lavoy, Peter René (2009). Asymmetric Warfare in South Asia: The Causes and Consequences of the Kargil Conflict. Cambridge University Press. p. 397. ISBN 9780521767217. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  12. ↑ Jafri, A. B. S. (2002). The Political Parties of Pakistan. Lahore, Pun. Pakistan: Royal Book Co. p. 130. ISBN 9789694072777. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Burki, Shahid Javed (2015). Historical Dictionary of Pakistan (3rd ed.). U.S.: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 657. ISBN 9781442241480. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Hassan, Ahmad (17 August 2002). "0 Political parties have to take quick decisions". DAWN.COM. Dawn Newspaper, 2002. Dawn Newspaper. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  15. ↑ Sikandar, Sardar (15 February 2018). "Zafarul Haq in the run for Senate chairmanship - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "Raja Zafarul Haq - PML-N's choice for Senate chairman". GEO News. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  17. ↑ Chaudhry, Arshad Waheed (12 March 2018). "PML-N loses Senate race as Sanjrani, Mandviwalla take top posts". Geo News. Geo News. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  18. ↑ PTI, Press Trust of India (12 March 2018). "PML-N Candidate Raja Zafarul Haq Suffers Major Defeat in Pakistan's Senate Polls". News18. Agencies. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  19. ↑ Rasool, Ayesha (24 March 2018). "PM calls for new Senate chairman, says Sanjrani holds no respect". Geo News. Geo News. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  20. ↑ Guramani, Nadir (26 August 2018). "PML-N's Raja Zafarul Haq replaces Sherry Rehman as leader of the opposition in Senate". Dawn.
  21. 1 2 Our Staff reporters, et.al. (18 September 2011). "Islam prime source behind uprising in Muslim world: Raja Zafarul Haq". The Nation. The Nation. The Nation. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Aitzaz Ahsan		 Leader of the House of Federation
12 March 2018–present		 Incumbent
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