Sahibzada Hamid Raza

Sahibzada Hamid Raza
صاحبزادہ حامد رضا
Raza at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf press conference in 2024.
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 February 2024
ConstituencyNA-104 Faisalabad-X
Chairman of Sunni Ittehad Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
2024
Preceded byPosition Established
Personal details
NationalityPakistani
Political partySIC (2009-present)
RelationsSardar Ahmad Chishti (grandfather)
Parent

Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza (Urdu: صاحبزادہ محمد حامد رضا), is a Pakistani religious scholar and politician who has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since February 2024.

He is the current chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council, a political alliance of many Islamist and more specifically Barelvi oriented parties.[1]

Early life and family

Sahibzada Hamid Raza is a son of former federal minister and religious scholar Sahibzada Fazal Karim, who passed away in 2013.[1] He belongs to a Punjabi Jat family and has four siblings, his paternal grandfather Sardar Ahmad Chishti having also been an influential religious figure.[2]

Political career

Raza was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in the 2024 Pakistani general election from NA-104 Faisalabad-X as an independent candidate supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He received 132,655 votes while runner-up Daniyal Ahmed of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)) received 92,610 votes.[3][4]

In February 2024, he announced an alliance with PTI.[5] Most PTI-backed independent canditates who won their MNA seats formally joined the Sunni Ittehad Council.[6]

Controversies

ISI attack

In May 2023, he was arrested related to ISI attack case.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sunni Ittehad Council leader Hamid Raza arrested in ISI office attack case". DAWN.COM. May 20, 2023. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Islam, Shamsul (16 April 2013). "Transitions: Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Fazal Karim dies". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 29 August 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ "NA-104 - Faisalabad 10". Dunya News. 13 February 2024. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  4. ^ "NA-104 Faisalabad 10". Geo News. 17 February 2024. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  5. ^ Junaidi, Ikram (20 February 2024). "PTI 'merges' with seatless party for three assemblies". Dawn News. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ^ "86 PTI-backed lawmakers officially join Sunni Ittehad Council so far". Samaa TV. 21 February 2024. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.