Javed Hashmi

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi مخدوم جاوید ہاشمی
President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf)
In office 19 March 2012 – 23 September 2014[1][2]
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Constituency	NA-149 (Multan-II)
Federal Minister of Health
In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
President	Rafiq Tarar Farooq Leghari
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Federal Minister of Youth Affairs
In office 26 May 1993 – 18 July 1993
President	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Personal details
Born	Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi (1947-07-17) 17 July 1947 Multan, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	Pakistan Muslim League Q
Other political affiliations	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (2011 – August 2014) Pakistan Muslim League (1990–2011)
Residence	Multan, Punjab Province
Alma mater	Punjab University (LL.B, MSc and MPhil)
Profession	Agriculturist
Religion	Islam

Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi (pronounced [dʒæˈʋed̪hæ'ʃmɨ] (IPA: [dʒæˈʋed̪hæ'ʃmɨ])); (Urdu: مخدوم محمد جاوید ہاشمی‎; b. 17 July 1949), is a veteran Pakistani controversial nonpartisan political figure who presided over Pakistan Muslim League between 2001 till 2005 and the over Pakistan Movement for Justice from March 2013 till September 2014.He also Presided Alliance for Restoration of Democracy after the death of Nawabzadah Nasrullaho. He is the only person in the country to preside over the two of the Big Three political parties.^[3]

Originally a leading and senior member of Pakistan Muslim League, Hashmi served twice in federal cabinet first as the Federal Ministry of Health and as the Federal Ministry of Youth Affairs in both first and second government of former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif. After being dismissed in 1999 in a coup d'état staged by General Pervez Musharraf against Nawaz Sharif, Hashmi was appointed central president of the Pakistan Muslim League and led the League in the controversial 2002 general elections, which saw the landslide defeat of the League. In 2003, Hashmi was arrested and faced a trial on charges of treason in the Central Jail Rawalpindi after making controversial statements against Pakistan Armed Forces, and was released on 4 August 2007.^[4]

In the 2008 elections, Hashmi won a record three seats out of the four contested; he only lost out to Shah Mehmood Qureshi in his home city of Multan. Hashmi won National Assembly seats from Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi beating PML-Q leader Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad in the latter one.^[5] On 20 July 2010 Hashmi suffered from Brain haemorrhage and was admitted to hospital. After recovering, he served as the Chairman of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and but resigned after falling out with Nawaz Sharif on various political issues.

He on 24 December 2011 ascended to join the Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI), and was elected the party president in 2013 leadership election. In 2013 elections Hashmi won from both two constituencies he contested from in Islamabad and in Multan from the platform of PTI.^[6] However, he fell out of party's favour after opposing publicly the party's decision to hold mass protests against his former boss Imran Khan in 2014, consequently resigning from both the party and the parliament. On 16 October 2014 he unsuccessfully contested to re-claim his home constituency as an independent candidate but backed by the ruling PML-N. He lost in a landslide to Amir Dogar, the PTI-backed independent candidate, the party from which he resigned his office.^[7]

Education and personal life

An agriculturist by profession, Hashmi attended Punjab University where he was part of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami . He took his BSc in Political Science in 1969, followed by MSc in 1971, and Master of Philosophy in 1973, in the same academic discipline from the same institution. The then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto offered him to be High Commissioner of Pakistan in United Kingdom and in return give up agitation against the ruling PPP but he did not budge from his stance.^[8]

On 20 July 2010, Hashmi was hospitalised at Nishtar Hospital after he suffered Brain Hemorrhage, and his body also suffered stroke due to internal bleeding.^[9] He was later admitted at the Lahore General Hospital Dr. Tariq Salahuddin, principal of the Lahore General Hospital.^[10] Dr. Tariq Salahuddin briefed the media and Hashmi's CT Angiography reports came out normal.^[10]

Political career

1985–1999

He turned to politics in 1985 and joined hands with Nawaz Sharif – who later became Prime minister.^[8] From 1985 till 1988, he was elected to the National Assembly for the terms of 1985 till 1988 as a non-partisan election.^[8] From 1990 till 1993, Hashmi was the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and elected as parliamentarian again from Multan for the term of 1993–1997 and sat on opposition benches.

From 1997 to 1999, he served as Federal Minister for Health in Nawaz Sharif's cabinet during his second term.

He was allegedly involved in Mehran Bank scandal along with other political heavyweights like Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and few more mainstream politicians of that time. Younas Habib who was the main character and distributed all the funds never alleged Makhdoom Javed Hashmi's involvement in the scandal. Allegations on Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in this regard were laid by Yousaf Advocate, he alleged Hashmi's involvement in the scandal.

However, during Musharraf's regime, Perviaz Musharaf ordered to register a case in NAB against Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and was charged of taking bribe from Mehran Bank scandal along with other numerous charges. Later he was acquitted from the all the charges including one pertaining to involvement in taking bribes from Mehran Bank scandal as the NAB failed to produce any evidence against him. Makhdoom Javed Hashmi is the only politician in Pakistan who has been charged, tried and acquitted by any court of law accused in Mehran Bank scandal.

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi has always strongly condemned the Mehran Bank scandal and involvement of military in politics and demanded a judicial probe of the scandal involving all the top political leadership of that time. During Musharraf's era, PML-Q was in dire need of MNAs to form a coalition government, so their delegation led by Ch. shujaat went on to see him and offered him to be part of PML-Q but Hashmi Refused to support Pervez Musharraf. For this act he had to suffer the wrath of the then president Gen. Musharraf and he remained behind the bars for 5 years. During prison days he wrote two books about his political struggle which are named as Haan Mein Baghi Hun (Yes, I Am a Rebel) and Takhtaey E Daar K Saaey Talay. He served in united nations for some times as well.^[8]

1999–2008

After the overthrow of the Nawaz Sharif government in 1999 in a coup staged by General Pervez Musharraf, he became one of the most vocal critic of the Musharaf's military regime, he was appointed as the president of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and its leader in the national assembly. On 29 October 2003, he was arrested from Parliament Building on charges of inciting mutiny made by General Pervez Musharraf.^[11] Earlier, in a press conference on 20 October 2003, he had read a letter that he received in mail, signed anonymously by some active military officers at Pakistan Army's Combatant Headquarter, known as The Generals Headquarter (GHQ), calling for an investigation into the corruption in the armed forces and criticising the President and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf, and his relationship with the American President George W. Bush.^[11] His trial was held in the central Adiala Jail instead of a district and sessions court at the Lahore High Court, which raised doubts among human rights groups about its fairness.^[11] On 12 April 2004, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison for inciting mutiny in the army, forgery, and defamation.^[11]

The verdict has widely been considered as a wilful miscarriage of justice by the General Pervez Musharraf's Government. All opposition parties in Pakistan, including Pakistan Peoples Party of the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and six party-alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), regarded the verdict to be politically motivated by the ruling junta with malicious intent, declaring him to be a political prisoner.^[11] In imprisonment he also wrote two books titled as "Haan, Main Baaghi Hoon!" (Yes, I am a 'Rebel!') and "takhta daar ke saaye tale" (Under the shadow of Hanging board). His book, "Yes, I am a 'Rebel'!", Hashmi clearly stated that he was jailed because he demanded a commission to be formed to investigate the Kargil issue, the restoration of democracy and opposed the Army's role in politics, and Pakistan's geostrategy policy in central Asia and Europe.^[11]

On 3 August 2007, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan under Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry granted him bail after serving approximately three and a half years in prison.^[11] Javed Hashmi was released from the Central Jail Kotlakhpat in Lahore on 4 August 2007.^[11] He was again placed under arrest at the declaration of a state of emergency on 3 November 2007^[12]

2008–present

Hashmi at a wedding.

It is believed that Hashmi was personally asked by party chairman Nawaz Sharif to contest from Rawalpindi for the National Assembly seat, where Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed of the PML[Q] was undefeated since 1988. Makhdoom Javed Hashmi as a result won three National Assembly seats, one from Rawalpindi, one from Punjab Capital Lahore and one from his hometown Multan. Hashmi beat PML-Q's political stalwart Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed in Rawalpindi. They finished second behind the PPP and made a coalition with its one time fierce rivals.

Despite winning three seats, Hashmi refused to take oath from President Musharraf and thus did not get a place in the federal cabinet. Hashmi served as the senior vice-president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Javed Hashmi released a very strong reaction on Inter Services Public Relations press release on Kerry-Luger bill. Terming Kerry-Lugar bill an interference on part of US in Pakistani security agencies' affairs, he said that if there is anything that needs to be corrected, Pakistan will do it herself. Besides he also commented on Pakistan Army's response to the bill saying "Pak Army should stay within its limits,... We will protect our Army if it ensures playing the role assigned to it."^[13]

On 7 May 2011 Hashmi submitted his resignation from Parliament, claiming that is a dummy and not passing real legislation.^[14]

Javed Hashmi joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on 24 December 2011 saying that he has made no deal with Imran Khan and has become a member because Imran Khan has an agenda of a change.^[15]

While addressing a political rally at the tomb of Quaid-e-Azam in Karachi on 25 December 2011 He said, "The youth of today have to move forward, Karachi is mini Pakistan. It represents all shades of the peoples of Pakistan." Quoting Quaid-e-Azam he said, "Minorities are our blood." Hashmi straight forwardly addressed to PTI chairman Imran Khan, "Yes, I'm a rebel (Baghi); you invited a rebel to join PTI, Now if you have not delivered as per your manifesto I will be first person to rebel against your Party." He has a very famous chant to his name in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, "baghi hun main", I'm a rebel. Hashmi and his daughter Memoona Hashmi resigned from National assembly of Pakistan on 29 December 2011.^[16]

As required when a change of party is made, Hashmi and his daughter Memoona Hashmi resigned from National assembly of Pakistan on 29 December 2011 to consummate the move to PTI.^[16]

2013 elections

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf fielded Javed Hashmi in two key constituencies; NA-48 in the capital, Islamabad, and NA-149 in Multan. The latter constituency has traditionally been Hashmi's stronghold because of his key spiritual position in the city. NA-48, however, had been swinging between Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Jamaat-e-Islami in prior elections.

Hashmi secured both these seats with considerable votes being polled in his favour.^[17][18] He later vacated NA-48 in favour of NA-149 which was then reclaimed by his party member, Asad Umar. in by-elections.^[19]

Differences with PTI leadership

On 14 August 2014, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, lead a protest to Islamabad from Lahore against the alleged rigging in the last general elections. Hashmi voiced serious concern over any extra-constitutional measures that might ensue. Days before the protest, he left a party meeting and went to his residence in Multan, apparently disgruntled. However, he made an appearance in the protest caravan and addressed the audience in Islamabad as well.^[20][21]

On 31 August 2014, when Khan ordered his followers to move in front of the prime minister's residence from the Constitution Avenue, Hashmi appeared visibly irritated and left the side of Imran Khan in anger.^[22][23]

Later, Hashmi addressed a press conference and stated that Khan's actions were being dictated by the Pakistan Army which has traditionally played a covert role in the country's politics.^[24] This wasn't well received by the party chairman and he issued a show-cause notice to Javed Hashmi.,^[25] while Hashmi denied this and said that he did not received any show-cause notice from PTI.^[26] ISPR, the media-wing of the army, also categorically denied these allegations.^[27] Later on, Hashmi attended a joint-session of the National Assembly and spoke against both the government and his party, PTI, before formally resigning from his seat.^[28]

On 29 August 2014, it was reported that Hashmi was "unhappy" with the party leadership, and the party was criticised due to its failure of control on its president.^[29] On Imran Khan's decision of moving toward Prime Minister house, he left PTI sit-in and the next day arranged a press conference.^[30]

Nonpartisan politics

Javed Hashmi's resignation to National Assembly was accepted from 16 August and a by election was held on vacant NA-149 on 16 October. He lost the election against independent candidate Malik Amir Dogar who had support from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

References

External links

• Profile by PILDAT
• Columns for Javed Hashmi at IBITIANS.com
• Find News and Columns About Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi at www.makhdoomjavedhashmi.com