Syed Munawar Hasan ‑ a Pakistani politician and the former Ameer (President) of Jamaat-e-Islami political party – died on 26 June 2020 from coronavirus complications.
He served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1977. He died on 26 June 2020 after prolonged illness.
Munawar Hasan was born in Delhi, British India on 5 August 1941. At the time of the partition of India, he migrated with his family and settled in Karachi. He obtained a Master's degree in sociology in 1963, and in Islamic Studies in 1966 from the University of Karachi. Munawar Hasan joined the National Students Federation, a student group, and was elected its president in 1959.
The real change appeared in his life when he came closer to the activists of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Pakistan and studied the writings of Mawlana Syed Abul Ala Maududi and Maulana Naeem Siddiqui.
As a result, he joined Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba in 1960 and was elected president of its University of Karachi unit, Karachi City Unit, and a member of its Central Executive Council.
He became its national president in 1964 and served in that capacity for three consecutive terms. During his tenure the Jamiat organised several campaigns mobilising public opinion regarding education issues.
He joined the Islamic Research Academy and later Islamic Jerusalem Studies, at Karachi as a research assistant in 1963. He became its secretary general in 1969. Under his supervision, the academy published 70 scholarly books. He also served as managing editor of The Criterion and The Universal Message, Karachi.
Munawar Hasan became a member of Jama'at-e-Islami Pakistan in 1967. He served the Karachi unit as Assistant Secretary, Secretary, Deputy Ameer and Ameer of the city. He was then elected to the Central Shura and the Executive Council of the Jama'at. He represented the group at several platforms, including United Democratic Front and the Pakistan National Alliance formed by many Pakistani political parties. He ran for the NA-191 Karachi-IX seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1977 and secured the highest vote tally in Pakistan. He was Assistant Secretary General of Jama'at-e-Islami Pakistan in 1992–93 and became Secretary General in 1993. He was elected Emir or head of the party in 2009. He was known for his simple living style and was cited as an example, "For decades he lived in a two-room portion in the house of Jamaat leader Naimatullah Khan in Karachi, content with the stipend from his party." Munawar Hasan had always been more of an ideologue rather than a pragmatic leader trying to form political alliances with other parties in Pakistan.
After the big loss by the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) in the Pakistani general election, 2013, Munawar Hasan took full responsibility of it as head of the party and offered to resign from his position, but the Executive Council (Shura Council) of the party refused to accept his resignation.
In late March 2014, Munawar Hasan became the first sitting emir or head in the history of JI to be voted out of office when Siraj-ul-Haq Khan was elected Ameer by the Jamaat Arakeen (JI members with voting rights). The party chief is elected for a period of five years by the members of the party. At least one analyst, Nasir Jamal, attributed the change in leadership to JI Arakeen's desire for a relatively younger and more pragmatic Ameer.
Munawar Hasan in November 2013 called slain leader of terrorist outfit Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan Hakeemullah Mehsud a martyr which led to strong reactions and condemnations in Pakistan. ISPR the media wing of Pakistani Armed Forces called it insult to thousands of Pakistani civilians and soldiers killed in war against terror and demanded apology from him.
On 11 June 2020, JI Karachi-chapter leader confirmed that Hasan has contracted Covid-19 and was in ICU. Hasan died on 26 June 2020 in Karachi.