Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, born on February 20, 1952, is a Pakistani politician and currently serves as the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Z). He held positions as Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities in General Pervez Musharraf’s government from 2004 to 2007 and previously served as Minister for Labour, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis during Nawaz Sharif’s government from 1990 to 1993.
Having graduated from Southern Illinois University, Ijaz worked in banking before entering politics in 1988 after his father, President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, passed away. He served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan during various periods: from November 1990 to October 1993, from November 2002 to November 2007, and from June 2013 to May 2018. His political activity has been notably prominent during authoritarian rule in Pakistan.
Early Life and Education
Ijaz was born on February 20, 1952, in Peshawar, to General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq of Jalandhar and Shafiq Jahan of Uganda.
He earned his master’s degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University in the United States. Before entering politics in 1990, he worked as a banker for Bank of America in Bahrain for over a decade.
Political Career
Upon the tragic death of his father in a plane crash in 1988, Haq returned to Pakistan and ventured into politics.
Early Political Career
Ijaz began his political journey by winning seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan in the 1990 general elections under the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) banner. Despite later challenges to the fairness of these elections by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, he secured victories in subsequent elections in 1993 and 1997.
Ministerial Tenure and Imprisonment
He held the position of Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis from 1997 to 1999 during Nawaz Sharif’s government until it was overthrown in the 1999 coup by General Pervez Musharraf. His differences with Nawaz Sharif led him to form his own party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Z) (PML(Z)) in 2002.
Political Affiliations and Electoral Results
Ijaz won seats in multiple elections, aligning with various parties like PML(Z) and PML(Q). He served as the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities after joining forces with PML(Q). He experienced electoral victories and losses in subsequent elections, including defeats in the 2008 elections and subsequent resignation from PML(Q).
Shifts in Party Allegiance
Reports emerged in 2012 suggesting a potential move to PML(N), but in 2013, although allied, he did not formally join PML(N). His electoral history in subsequent elections showed mixed results, including both wins and losses in different constituencies.
Recent Political Moves
In 2023, Ijaz initially announced the merger of PML(Z) into Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during a meeting with Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister and PTI chairman. However, later statements from Ijaz denied rumours of such a merger, indicating an uncertain political trajectory.
Writing Career
Ijaz has written columns for different Urdu publications, including Daily Jang and Dunya News.