Syed Munawar Hasan

Syed Munawar Hasan was a Pakistani politician who served as the 4th Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami from 2009 to 2014. He held various leadership roles within his party and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1977.

Early life and education

Hasan was born in Delhi, British India, on 5 August 1941. His family migrated during the partition of India and eventually settled in Karachi. He attended the University of Karachi where he completed his studies. He obtained a Master's degree in sociology in 1963 and a second degree in Islamic Studies in 1966.

His involvement in student politics began early. He served as the Karachi president of the National Students Federation in 1959.

Career

Hasan joined Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba in 1960. He rose through the ranks by serving as the president of the University of Karachi unit in 1962 and the Karachi chapter in 1963. After becoming a member of the Central Executive Council, he was elected national president in 1964. He held this national presidency for 3 consecutive terms. During this period, the Jamiat organized several campaigns to mobilize public opinion regarding education issues.

He became a member of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan in 1967. His progression within the Karachi unit included roles as Assistant Secretary, Secretary, Deputy Ameer, and Ameer. He later earned seats on the Central Shura and the Executive Council of the Jamaat. Hasan represented the group at platforms such as the United Democratic Front and the Pakistan National Alliance. In 1977, he ran for the NA-191 Karachi-IX seat of the National Assembly and secured the highest vote tally in Pakistan.

The politician continued his ascent within the party hierarchy during the 1990s. He served as Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan from 1992 to 1993. He transitioned to the role of Secretary General in 1993. In 2009, he was elected as the Emir of the party. Following the loss of Jamaat-e-Islami in the 2013 Pakistani general election, Hasan offered to resign. The party's Executive Council refused his resignation.

His tenure ended in March 2014. He became the first head in the history of JI to be voted out of office when Siraj-ul-Haq Khan was elected by members with voting rights. Analyst Nasir Jamal reported that the change in leadership stemmed from a desire for a younger leader.

Hasan also maintained an academic career. He joined the Islamic Research Academy and later Islamic Jerusalem Studies in Karachi as a research assistant in 1963. He became the secretary general of the academy in 1969. Under his supervision, the academy published 70 scholarly books. He additionally served as the managing editor of The Criterion and The Universal Message in Karachi.

A controversy arose in November 2013 when Hasan referred to Hakimullah Mehsud, a slain leader of Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan, as a martyr. This statement caused significant friction in Pakistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations stated that the comment insulted civilians and soldiers killed in the war against terror. They demanded that he apologize for his remarks.

Personal life

Hasan was known for a simple living style. For decades, he lived in a two-room portion within the house of Jamaat leader Naimatullah Khan in Karachi. He remained content with the stipend provided by his party. He functioned more as an ideologue than a pragmatic leader seeking political alliances.

He died in Karachi on 26 June 2020. A JI Karachi-chapter leader confirmed on 11 June 2020 that Hasan had contracted COVID-19 and was in the ICU.