Mixed reactions as JI restructured in KP

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) decision to abolish the provincial setup and divide the party in the province into four zones has sparked mixed reactions within the party.

Many members believed that the absence of a strong and unified voice at the provincial level would significantly damage the party’s political stature.

The tragic incident in Bajaur, where the party’s district general secretary was assassinated by so-called “unknown assailants,” has highlighted the void in provincial-level representation, especially after the restructuring. A senior party member remarked that the division into four zones-Central, Northern, Hazara, and Southern-has party’s voice at the provincial level.

Following this decision, the provincial structure has been replaced with four zones, each headed by a caretaker leader until elections for the offices are held in December. The interim heads are Abdul Wasi for the Central Zone, Inayatullah Khan for the Northern Zone, Abdur Razzaq Abbasi for the Hazara Region and Prof Mohammad Ibraheem Khan for the Southern Zone.

Prof Ibraheem, who previously served as the provincial president, has been promoted to central deputy chief of JI. He now heads a coordination committee comprising the four zonal leaders, tasked with addressing urgent matters requiring a unified stance at the provincial level. However, recent incidents, such as the unrest in Kurram, demonstrated the limitations of this model, as Northern Zone President Inayatullah Khan’s reaction to the incident failed to attract significant media attention.

Political analysts emphasized the importance of a provincial-level leader based in the capital for effectively addressing critical issues. “A province without a provincial emir is a politically flawed model,” said a party leader familiar with the developments.

Local leaders at the zonal level can handle issues like negotiating seat adjustments and addressing local demands such as Hazara province’s status, rights issues in Malakand and others. However, the absence of a provincial head is likely to hinder cohesive political representation, potentially causing long-term harm to the party’s prospects.

When contacted, Central Zone President Abdul Wasi said that a committee was formed after JI’s poor performance in the 2018 general election to identify the reasons for failure. Led by the then-central deputy chief Asadullah Bhutto, the committee recommended dividing the party into various zones under the provincial structure. Although these recommendations were initially rejected by the central shura, the current Emir of JI, Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, revived and implemented them.

Unlike Khyber Pakhtun- khwa and Punjab, where the party has been divided into four and five zones respectively, Sindh’s provincial structure remains intact due to resistance from its leadership. Each zone in KP has been granted the status and powers of a provincial-level organization, with elections for zonal emirs already underway and expected to conclude in December next. However, it is highly expected that the interim heads will continue in their roles as the central chief has the discretion as per the party’s constitution to appoint provincial and zonal presidents irrespective of the opinion of the party members.

Organizationally, this decision may strengthen JI at the grassroots with decentralization. Politically, however, it may weaken the party’s ability to present a unified stance and field competitive leadership against rival political forces. “Let’s wait and see the results of this decision,” commented a senior party member.

The central leadership of the party has defended the restructuring as a necessary step to accelerate party activities. Despite some dissenting voices within the provincial shura, the decision faced little resistance, possibly due to the influence of central leadership. Some reports suggested that Inayatullah Khan had bagged the majority of ballots in the recent elections for provincial chief. But the central chief of the party used his discretionary power to overlook him in favor of Prof Mohammad Ibraheem Khan, who was perceived to be little resistant to the structural changes.

The structural changes in JI have drawn mixed reactions from within and outside the party. Critics argue it could spell the beginning of JI’s political decline. “This is an unwise and apolitical decision. Who will represent JI on any provincial political forum? This decision makes it difficult, if not impossible, for any future central Emir of JI to come from KP,” said a party supporter.

Others see potential in the move. “I see this as a better decision. Administratively, it is a good step,” said another senior member. He argued that regional reorganization was necessary, as each zone has unique challenges and perspectives. For instance, the Malakand organizational structure better understands the region’s context, enabling more effective decision-making. Similar benefits are expected for other zones.