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
Constituency	NA-104 Faisalabad-X
Chairman of Sunni Ittehad Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 2024
Preceded by	Position Established
Personal details
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	SIC (2009-present)
Relations	Sardar Ahmad Chishti (grandfather)
Parent	Muhammad Fazal Karim (father)

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. "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.