Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has been elected as the new leader (emir) of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party in Pakistan, as announced on Thursday following the party’s internal elections.
The election results were made public by Qaisar Sharif, the Central Information Secretary of JI, who revealed that a significant number of party members participated in the voting process to select the new leader.
According to Sharif, more than 45,000 JI members actively took part in the voting, with Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman securing over 80% of the votes.
This landslide victory makes him the sixth leader of the party, and he is set to hold the position of the party’s chief until 2029.
Emphasizing the democratic nature of the party, Sharif highlighted that JI’s constitution mandates regular elections at all organizational levels.
He also pointed out that JI is not affiliated with any specific individual or family; instead, the party belongs to every member and worker who contributes to its mission and objectives.
In total, approximately 46,000 JI members from all over Pakistan participated in the secret ballot to elect the new leader, reflecting a strong internal democratic process within the party.
This recent election is notable as it marks the 19th occasion on which JI has elected a new leader, demonstrating the party’s commitment to a democratic leadership selection process.
In a related development, Sirajul Haq, the previous JI leader, stepped down from his position in February. His resignation came after the party’s disappointing performance in the recent elections, where the JI failed to secure any seats in the National Assembly and only managed to win two seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly.
In 2014, Sirajul Haq was elected as the JI leader, succeeding the outgoing chief Syed Munawar Hassan. During the 2014 elections at JI Headquarters Mansoora, out of 31,311 party officials, 25,533 people cast their votes.
Sirajul Haq won the majority of these votes and served as the party chief for five years. He was re-elected for a second term in 2019 but decided to resign after serving the JI for a total of ten years.
Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman’s election as the new leader of JI represents a significant development within the party. His landslide victory and the high level of participation in the election highlight the party’s commitment to democratic processes.
Sirajul Haq’s resignation after a decade of leadership signifies a new chapter for JI, as the party looks ahead to future challenges and opportunities under its new leadership.
