Sirajul Haq, Amir Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has emerged as a democrat and defender of the democratic system. He has appealed to the political parties many times that they should work for saving democracy in the country. He has also acted as a sensible and mature negotiator acceptable to both Imran Khan and the government.

At one stage, Haq was snubbed by Imran Khan who refused to meet him, but he persisted with his mission to save democracy. For his role in the current political crisis even some diehard opponents of JI have applauded him and his party -- the JI -- which has a long history of supporting dictators. Haq has strongly rejected wrapping up of the present system and resignation from the assemblies.

Many give him credit for convincing the PTI leadership to not dissolve the KP assembly. "Sirajul Haq is a practical politician. He has been working to wean the JI away from unrealistic and revolutionary slogans to the real world of politics," says Saleem Safi, a political commentator who has been closely watching the JI.

"JI has gone through different phases. Qazi Hussain Ahmed tried to make it a political force but he did not succeed. At that time, its involvement in Kashmir and Afghanistan stopped him from doing so," says Safi.

"Now, there is a strong realisation among the JI ranks that it needs to transform as a political party. The JI suffered a lot under Munawar Hasan, his thinking was non-political. JI did not approve of his thinking and for the first time in history of Jamaat, he was not elected as Amir for the second term," he adds.

Sirajul Haq, says Safi, is diametrically opposed to what Munawar Hasan stood for. "Siraj talks about labourers and peasants. He has also chosen a team which has a political background. He has been trying to bring about changes in the JI leadership gradually. There is a strong clout of ‘revolutionary’ people. To please them, he arranged the march for Gaza."

But others do not believe that Sirajul Haq represents change in the JI. "The only difference is his personality and mannerism, the final goal is the same -- implementation of Maududi’s brand of Sharia in Pakistan," says Harris Khalique, poet and author. process is a means to achieve their goal, not their final goal."

The JI has also for the first time in its history an Amir who is member of the provincial assembly and coalition partner of the provincial assembly. "That is also one reason that JI wants this system to continue," Khalique adds.

Liaqat Baloch, central secretary general of the JI says that Jamaat has always been a democratic party. "It is also clearly written in our constitution that the party would struggle through political and constitutional means. We do not have any underground wing or organization. There’s no change of any policy of Jamaat under Sirajul Haq, he says, adding, "Munawar Hasan’s stance was also against military interference in the country’s political affairs. We are democrats and moderate people and Pakistan has been facing Taliban and Tahirul Qadri because the liberals are not ready to give us space."