Imran Khan created the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and while no political party was prepared to shake hands with it, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) led by Sirajul Haq not only allied with it but also nearly won the mayorship of Karachi, demonstrating his ability to make astute political decisions.
On the other hand, JI has not yet received enough votes to be considered a winner.
Since Syed Munawar Hassan, his predecessor, was a fervent supporter of the militants battling the state of Pakistan in the name of Islam, Sirajl Haq’s party was not on the military establishment’s radar when he took over as JI’s Ameer in 2014.
Sirajul Haq intervened as a mediator and attempted, but in vain, to mediate the situation when Imran Khan was holding a protest sit-in in Islamabad at the time.
He was featured in the media despite failing. It was anticipated that he would contribute to his party’s popular acceptance. It was also expected that he would devise a plan to prevent himself and his group from being associated with the militants and their cause. But Siraj was unable to refute such perception. He and his party regard the Afghan Taliban as comrades and are in favor of communication with the now-defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).I had a thorough conversation with Siraj in 2015. At the time, he was living in a rented house on five marlas with his four daughters and three boys, and he was dependent on the KPK Assembly’s income. Things haven’t really altered much even today. He presently resides in a mixed family at his family’s house in Lower Dir, his hometown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Siraj receives his pay from JI and has a connection with a private school in KP.
