Sahibzada Hamid Raza Biography
Sahibzada Hamid Raza is a Pakistani politician and the current chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council, a religious and political alliance of Sunni Muslim groups. He is also the member-elect of the National Assembly of Pakistan from the constituency of NA-104 Faisalabad-X.
He is the son of former federal minister Sahibzada Fazal Karim. He was arrested in May 2023 in connection with an attack on an ISI office, but was later released on bail.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Age
Sahibzada Hamid Raza was born in 1975. He is 49 years old as of 2024.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Early Life and Education
Sahibzada Hamid Raza was born in Faisalabad, Pakistan, to a well-known religious and political family. His father, Sahibzada Fazal Karim, was a federal minister and a leader of the Sunni Ittehad Council, a coalition of Sunni Muslim groups. His grandfather, Sahibzada Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi, was a renowned scholar and preacher of the Barelvi school of thought.
He received his early education from his father, who taught him the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, and other Islamic sciences. He also learned Arabic and Persian languages from his father. He completed his formal Islamic studies at the age of 19 and became a qualified scholar.
He pursued higher education at the University of the Punjab, where he obtained a master’s degree in Islamic Studies. He also studied philosophy and mathematics at the university. He wrote his thesis on the topic of “The Role of Sufism in the Development of Islamic Civilization”.
He further enhanced his knowledge and skills by attending various courses and seminars on Islamic jurisprudence, comparative religion, human rights, and interfaith dialogue. He also traveled to different countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, and Iran, to learn from other scholars and exchange views.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Political Career
Sahibzada Hamid Raza started his political career by joining the Sunni Ittehad Council, a coalition of Sunni Muslim groups, in 2009. He became its chairman in 2011, succeeding his father, Sahibzada Fazal Karim, who passed away in 2013.
He contested the 2013 Pakistani general election from NA-84 Faisalabad-IV as an independent candidate, but lost to Abid Sher Ali of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). He also ran for the 2018 Pakistani general election from NA-103 Faisalabad-III, but was defeated by Saad Waseem of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
He won the 2024 Pakistani general election from NA-104 Faisalabad-X as an independent candidate, defeating Daniyal Ahmed of the PML-N. He received 128,687 votes, while his opponent got 92,594 votes. He is the member-elect of the National Assembly of Pakistan from this constituency.
He has recently announced his alliance with the PTI, the ruling party of Pakistan, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said that he joined the PTI to support the government’s efforts to bring reforms and development in the country. He also expressed his hope that the PTI would respect the rights and interests of the Sunni Ittehad Council and its followers.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Controversies
Sahibzada Hamid Raza has been involved in several controversies in his career. In May 2023, he was arrested for his alleged participation in the violent protest of May 9, which attacked an ISI office. He was charged with attacking the institution’s office, as law enforcers continued widespread crackdown on former ruling party leaders and their supporters. He was later released on bail.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Personal Life
Sahibzada Hamid Raza is married. He performed the marriage ceremony of a German resident Sikh woman of Indian origin who converted to Islam and married a man of Sialkot in 2024.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza Net Worth
Sahibzada Hamid Raza has an estimated net worth of $400,000 as of 2024.
