Dawn Staff Reporter
Karachi:
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday was elected as the sixth emir of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) for a five-year term, the party said in an announcement on its official account on X.
It said that he would serve as the party chief from April 2024The party said he was “unanimously elected” by its members for the role and wished him well. to April 2029. He had previously served as the chief of the party’s Karachi chapter.
JI Election Commission President Rashid Naseem also announced the results during a press conference in Lahore. He said the party had no definitive candidate for the post of emir but three names had appeared in the press for the slot. Subsequently, the party’s consultative body decided to suggest three names while members were free to choose anyone else they wanted, he said.
Naseem said the voter turnout was 82 per cent and the result was finalised earlier today. He prayed for Rehman’s success and the ability to fulfil the responsibility of his new post.
Hafiz Naeem is the sixth man to occupy the post, following Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (1941-72), Mian Tufail Muhammad (1972-87), Qazi Hussain Ahmed (1987-2008), Munawer Hassan (2008-2013) and Sirajul Haq (2013-2024).
Hafiz Naeem’s predecessor, Sirajul Haq, had initially ended his decade-long run as the head of the party following a humbling defeat in the Feb 8 general elections.
The Jamaat had fielded 243 candidates for the National Assembly and failed to win even one seat. It had given 531 provincial tickets and only managed to secure six — three in KP, two in Sindh and one in Balochistan.
“Despite my best and tireless efforts, the party has not been able to achieve desired results. Workers put in best efforts. God may reward them for those efforts. I accept the responsibility of the defeat and hereby resign as party head,” his resignation letter said.
He had later withdrawn his resignation after the Jamaat Shura, a 100-member governing body, refused to accept it.
In a message congratulating Hafiz Naeem on his win today, Haq prayed that his election would be a source of blessings for the country, the party and the Muslim community.
