Sirajul Haq

Siraj ul Haq was born in Samarbagh village of the Lower Dir District into a Pushtoon family. He got his early education from the local high school of the region and studied Political Science in the University of Peshawar and MA (Education) from University of Punjab (1990). During the University period, he studied the books of Maulana Syed Abul Aala Maududi and Maulana Naeem Siddiqui. He joined Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and became the Chief of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba from 1988 to 1991.[3] He has been elected two times as MPA from PK-95 constituency.

He was elected to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the 2002 election from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and was made finance minister in the provincial cabinet under the leadership of Akram Khan Durrani. However, he allegedly resigned in protest against the deadly US drone strike on a Madrassa in Bajaur Agency which resulted in the deaths of 86 children. Though the then Ameer Jamat e Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmad claimed that it was the party decision to vacate one of the two offices i.e. Ministry and Ameer Jamat e Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, then N.W.F.P. His party boycotted the 2008 election. In 2013, he contested on Jamaat-e-Islami's ticket and was elected to the assembly.[4]

He remained the Deputy Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami until 30 March 2014 when he was elected as the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.[5] As per party rules whereby intra-party elections are held every five years, he was re-elected as Ameer (chief) of Jamaat-e-Islami in March 2019, till March 2024. [6] He remains immensely popular in his constituency and known for his modesty among friends and foes alike.[7]

He later resigned from his ministry (Ministry of Finance) in June 2014 right after budget because according to party rules, one man cannot hold two offices at a time.[8] At that time, he was Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and Senior Minister in KPK Assembly.

He gained immense popularity when Imran Khan And Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri announced the Long March against Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Nawaz Sharif. He acted as a neutral figure. He convinced the Government and Imran Khan for negotiations and due to his efforts the government became stable.[9] He said that the Jamaat-e-Islami will not let democracy derail. Political Differences aside, we will save democracy. For his utmost efforts, he later received an award from the Government of Pakistan on 14 August 2014 by President Mamnoon Hussain.

In 2015, he fought the election for senate. He won the election and is a senator in Parliament of Pakistan. He is considered to be a senior member of Parliament of Pakistan.[10]

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