Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq ( ur, ; born 18 November 1935), is an ex- Pakistan Senator from the

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

, served from being

elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...

on 12 March 2009. He had been the leader of the opposition in

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

from 2018 to 2021. He is serving as the Chairman of the

Pakistan Muslim League (N) The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) ( ur, , translit=Pākistān Muslim Līg (Nūn) PML(N) or PML-N) is a Centre-right politics, centre-right and Liberal conservatism, liberal conservative political party in Pakistan. Alongside the Pakistan Teh ...

, a centre-right party, since 20 February 2000. A retired diplomat and lawyer by profession, Zafar-ul-Haq served as the Minister of Religious Affairs in second administration of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime ...

from 1997 until being removed in 1999. Haq is known for his views for support of the

religious conservatism Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

but strongly advocated for religious

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture *Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...

and

humility Humility is the quality of being humble. Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity (i.e. God), and subsequent ...

. In addition, he is also known for leading the constitutional initiatives to form the inquiry commission on the

Kargil War The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC). In India, the conflict is also referr ...

, against

Pervez Musharraf General Pervez Musharraf ( ur, , Parvez Muśharraf; born 11 August 1943) is a former Pakistani politician and four-star general of the Pakistan Army who became the tenth president of Pakistan after the successful military takeover of the ...

, whom he saw as a "traitor", and voiced support for civilian control of the military.

Biography

Early life and career in law

Zafar-ul-Haq was born in a small village,

Matore Matore is a village, surrounded by hills, in the heart of Kahuta Tehsil a subdivision of Rawalpindi District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 778 meters (2555 feet). Some major tourist attractions in ...

, located in

Kahuta Tehsil Kahuta Tehsil ( pa, ; ur, تحصیل کہوٹہ) is one of the seven tehsils (subdivisions) of Rawalpindi District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The neighbouring tehsil of Kallar Sayedan used to be part of Kahuta, but was later created as ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

into a Janjua family on 18 November 1935. His father, Raja Fazal Dad Khan, was a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Punjab Police Department and attended various high schools in Punjab, and

matriculated Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now. ...

from

Sialkot Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...

in 1952. He went to attend the Government College University in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

where he secured his graduate with

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

in 1956. He went to attend the

law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

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 Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

in 1958. He started practicing law with the law firm, the S.M. Zafar associates, in Lahore, but later moved to

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...

where he took cases and practiced law until 1981. Zafar-ul-Haq moved to

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...

where he became member of the Supreme Court Bar Association and became the supreme court advocate from 1985 until 1987. In 1977, he was elected as the president of the Rawalpindi Bar Association and was serving as vice president of the

Punjab Bar Council The Punjab Bar Council ( ur, ) is a deliberative assembly of lawyers in Punjab. It is established by Parliament of Pakistan and consists of 75 members elected from different constituencies of Punjab. Its main functions are to promote and sugges ...

in 1981.

Political career

Political Career Summarized

• Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq formally joined

Pakistan Muslim League The Pakistan Muslim League ( ur, ; known as PML), is the name of several different Pakistani political parties that have dominated the right-wing platform in the country. The Muslim League (a different party) was the party of Pakistan’s ...

after his graduation in 1956 and has remained loyal with this political party for more than fifty years. • He was elected as the General Secretary of Pakistan Muslim League in District

from 1963 to 1971. • He was elected as the President of Pakistan Muslim League, District

in 1971 and continued till 1981. • Haq was elected as President Rawalpindi Bar Association 1977–78 and was elected as the Vice President High Court Bar for 1981–1982. • He was given a place in the Panel of experts for Pakistan Law Commission. • Haq served as the Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Minister for Religious Affairs 1981–85 as nominee of

Leadership. • He served as the Chairman of National Committee for Social Reforms and submitted a full detailed report which was widely appreciated. • He was the Head of a Committee to reform Pakistan Penal Code and Evidence Act. These Laws were amended accordingly. • Raja Zafar-ul-Haq served as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Egypt 1985–86. • Served as the Political Adviser to the

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Paki ...

with the status of a Federal Minister from 1986–87. • He represented Pakistan in the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

in the 45th Session in 1990–91. • He was elected as a Member of Pakistan Senate in 1991 for a term of six years, where he served until 1997. • Elected Chairman Standing Committee on Law and Religious Affairs of the Senate 1991–94. • He served as Chairman Pakistan Economy Commission and submitted detailed reports. • He served as head of the commission to eradicate

Riba The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

and submitted a final report. • He was elected as Central Vice President of

in 1996. • Appointed Member, Board of Trustees, Islamic International University Islamabad in 1992–97. • He was elected as the Secretary General, Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islam (World Muslim Congress) in 1992. The oldest International Organization of Muslims, established in 1926 which is a Class-I Consultative Status Observed with the UN and its allied bodies and Observer status with the OIC. • Elected Leader of the Opposition, Senate of Pakistan from May 1994 – 1996. • Elected Leader of the House, Senate of Pakistan in 1997–99 • Served as the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs in July 1997 – October, 1999 • He was re-elected as Secretary General, Motamar Al Alam Al-Islami in 1997–2002. • Elected Chairman, Pakistan Muslim League (N) 2000–2009. Re-elected in 2011, where he serves till date. • Elected Secretary General, Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami in December 2002 for another five years term • Re-elected Secretary General of Motamar 2007–2012. • Elected Member of the Senate 2009–2015 term. • Elected Leader of the (Six Parties) Independent Opposition Group 2009, in the Senate of Pakistan and was appointed as the Leader of the PML (N) Parliamentary Party in the Senate. • Elected as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production in 2012. • Appointed as Leader of the House, Senate of Pakistan on 10 June 2013. • Appointed as Leader of the House in Senate of Pakistan on 12 March 2015. • He was re-elected Secretary General of Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami 2015 for five years term. • Re-elected Chairman, Pakistan Muslim League (N) on 18 October 2016, where he serves till date. • He was eclared as Leader of the Opposition, Senate of Pakistan on 24 August 2018 representing the largest party in Senate with 30 Senators.

Ambassadorship to Egypt and Religious minister in Sharif administrations

Since 1963, Zafar-ul-Haq had been participating in the national politics on a

(PML) and is known for reflected views on

while stressing to adopt the ''

Humility Humility is the quality of being humble. Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity (i.e. God), and subsequent ...

'' to prevent violence and insanity. 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. In 1981, he joined the

Zia administration The Parliament of Pakistan ( ur, , , "Pakistan Advisory Council" or "Pakistan Consultative Assembly") is the federal and supreme legislative body of Pakistan. It is a bicameral federal legislature that consists of the Senate as the upper ho ...

as the

Information Minister An information minister (also called minister of information) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with information matters; it is often linked with censorship and propaganda. Sometimes the position is given to ...

and the Minister of Religious Affairs which served until 1985. In 1985,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Zia-ul-Haq General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq HI, GCSJ, ร.ม.ภ, ( Urdu: ; 12 August 1924 – 17 August 1988) was a Pakistani four-star general and politician who became the sixth President of Pakistan following a coup and declaration of martial ...

appointed him as the Pakistan Ambassador to

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

which he tenured until 1986 when he was appointed as an adviser to

. He advised

Mohammad Junejo on political and legal matters until 1987, and sided to join the

led by its

Fida Mohammad. In 1990–91, Zafar-ul-Haq presented Pakistan in the

International Law Commission The International Law Commission (ILC) is a body of experts responsible for helping develop and codify international law. It is composed of 34 individuals recognized for their expertise and qualifications in international law, who are elected by t ...

of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

and was elected as Pakistan Senator for the first time in 1991 for a six-year term. In 1992, he was appointed in the

Board of Trustees A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

(BoT) of International Islamic University in Islamabad until 1997. During this time, he was appointed as the

Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

of the

World Muslim Congress The World Muslim Congress (''Motamar al-Alam al-Islami'') (Arabic: مؤتمر العالم الإسلامي) is an Islamic organization based in Karachi. Its co-founder and Secretary-General for over four decades was Inamullah Khan. It was the ...

until 1997. In 1997, he participated in the nationwide general elections on a Rawalpindi constituency which he successfully defended, and joined the second administration of

as the Minister of Religious Affairs. He played a crucial and vital role in drafting the Fifteenth Amendment to the

Constitution of Pakistan The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's Pakistani political parties, opposition ...

to declare the "

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

as the Supreme Law"— the amendment was passed with the

two-thirds majority 2/3 may refer to: * A fraction with decimal value 0.6666... * A way to write the expression "2 ÷ 3" ("two divided by three") * 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines of the United States Marine Corps * February 3 * March 2 Events Pre-1600 * 537 – ...

in the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

(

lower house A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...

) but failed to be passed in the

(

Upper house An upper house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smalle ...

) in 1999. Over the

Kargil conflict The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC). In India, the conflict is also referred ...

in 1999, he reportedly warned the BJP ministry in

of "Pakistan resorting to the nuclear weapons issue if the country's territorial integrity, security and sovereignty is harmed. 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. In 2000, Zafar-ul-Haq was elected as the

Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), which he is currently serving, whilst

Javed Hashmi Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi ( ur, مخدوم محمد جاوید ہاشمی; born 1 January 1948), is a Pakistani politician, political realist, and a senior conservative thinker on the platform of Pakistan Muslim League (N). After serving ...

becoming the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N). On 4 December 2001, Zafar-ul-Haq appealed to the religious and conservative mass to call for the massive public demonstration against the

, leading the pro-democracy movement with

Amin Fahim Makhdoom Muhammad Ameen Faheem ( ur, ; ''alt. spelling'': Amin Fahim; 4 August 1939 – 21 November 2015) was a Pakistani populist left-wing figure and a poet. He was the senior vice-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, chairman of Pakis ...

to restore the civilian control. 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 The Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan ( ur, ), is the president-chair of the Senate of Pakistan.senate elections that were scheduled in 12 March 2018. Despite the PML(N) successfully retained the

majority A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from #Related terms, related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Webster Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, Zafar-ul-Haq's bid for the chairmanship was fell short through the number countings and, was defeated by

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

Sadiq Sanjrani Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani ( ur, ; born 14 April 1978) is a Pakistani politician who is from Balochistan and is the 8th and current Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan. He took his oath of office as a Member and Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan o ...

, who had support from the

Asif Zardari Asif Ali Zardari ( ur, ; sd, ; born 26 July 1955) is a Pakistani politician who is the president of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and was the co-chairperson of Pakistan People's Party. He served as the 11th president of Pakista ...

and

Imran Khan Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confidenc ...

in spite of their disagreement. Upon hearing the news of the number manipulation in the Senate elections, PML(N)'s leadership and the

Shahid Abbasi reacted very negatively, and reportedly quoted in the

news media The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These include news agencies, print media (newspapers, news magazines), broadcast news (radio and television), and th ...

that "Sanjrani holds no respect", and calls were made for the reelection of the Senate elections. On 24 August 2018, he was appointed leader of the opposition in the Senate.

Political positions and views

His views reflected the

but has strongly voice for the religious sanity and the

interfaith dialogue Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...

among the three

Abrahamic religions The Abrahamic religions are a group of religions centered around worship of the God of Abraham. Abraham, a Hebrew patriarch, is extensively mentioned throughout Abrahamic religious scriptures such as the Bible and the Quran. Jewish tradition ...

–

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

, and

. In his public speaking at the conservative conventions in the country, Zafar-ul-Haq has strongly stressed and argued for the religious

. In 2005, Zafar-ul-Haq demanded the inquiry commission on kargil debacle to be investigated by the

Supreme Court of Pakistan The Supreme Court of Pakistan ( ur, ; ''Adālat-e-Uzma Pākistān'') is the apex court in the judicial hierarchy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Established in accordance to thePart VIIof the Constitution of Pakistan, it has ultimate a ...

to point and recommend the punishment for those involved. 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. In an interview in 2012, Zafar-ul-Haq held President Musharraf responsible of promoting

religious intolerance Religious intolerance is Toleration, intolerance of another's religious beliefs or practices or lack thereof. Mere statements which are contrary to one's beliefs do not constitute intolerance. Religious intolerance, rather, occurs when a group ...

in the country by introducing legislative reforms reflecting against the teachings of

without the consent of the public. 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. Though, he has repeatedly spoken very highly of Nawaz Sharif's services done to the country and Islam, he remained unsympathetic to suicide attacks taking place on

. In 2011, he was quoted as saying that Islam is the prime source behind the uprising movements in the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

and

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

. His statement came in response to the European intervention in

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

in favor of the

Libyan Opposition The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organized and armed militia groups, participants in the Libyan Civil ...

References

External links

*
UK website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haq, Raja Zafar Ul 1935 births Punjabi people People from Rawalpindi District Government College University, Lahore alumni Punjab University Law College alumni Pakistani lawyers University of the Punjab alumni Conservatism in Pakistan Information Ministers of Pakistan Pakistan Muslim League (N) politicians Ambassadors of Pakistan to Egypt Pakistani senators (14th Parliament) Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arabia Religious Ministers of Pakistan Pakistani democracy activists Leaders of the House for the Senate of Pakistan Members of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress Living people hi:पाकिस्तान मुस्लिम लीग id:Liga Muslim Pakistan (N) nl:Pakistan Muslim League (N) pt:Liga Muçulmana do Paquistão-N sv:Pakistanska muslimska förbundet - N zh:巴基斯坦穆斯林联盟（谢里夫派）