Raja Zafar-ul-Haq
Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq (Urdu: راجہ ظفرالحق; born 18 November 1935), is a Pakistani politician and lawyer, who served as senator from the Punjab, being elected on 12 March 2009. He had been the leader of the opposition in Senate from 2018 to 2021. He is serving as the Chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a centre-right party, since 20 February 2000.
Raja Zafar-ul-Haq | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Senate of Pakistan | |
| In office 12 March 2015 – 24 August 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Aitzaz Ahsan |
| Succeeded by | Shibli Faraz |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Senate of Pakistan | |
| In office 26 August 2018 – 11 March 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Sherry Rehman |
| Succeeded by | Yusuf Raza Gillani |
| Pakistan Senator from Punjab | |
| In office 12 March 2009 – 11 March 2021 | |
| Minister of Religious Affairs | |
| In office 21 February 1997 – 12 October 1999 | |
| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Preceded by | Jehangir Bader |
| Succeeded by | Dr. Mahmood Ahmed Ghazi |
| In office 1981–1985 | |
| President | Zia-ul-Haq |
| Preceded by | Kausar Niazi |
| Succeeded by | Iqbal Ahmad Khan |
| Pakistan Ambassador to Egypt | |
| In office 1985–1986 | |
| President | Zia-ul-Haq |
| Minister of Information and Broadcasting | |
| In office 1981–1985 | |
| President | Zia-ul-Haq |
| Chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) | |
| Assumed office 20 February 2000 | |
| President | Shehbaz Sharif |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq 18 November 1935 Matore, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Political party | Pakistan Muslim League (N) (2000-present) |
| Children | Raja Muhammad Ali |
| Alma mater | Govt. College University (B.A. in Phil.) Punjab University (LLB, MSc in Poly Sci.) |
| Profession | Lawyer, diplomat |
A retired diplomat and lawyer by profession, Zafar-ul-Haq served as the Minister of Religious Affairs under Zia-ul-Haq from 1981 to 1985 and occupied the post again during the second administration of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from 1997 until being removed by Musharraf's coup d'état in 1999. Haq is known for his views for support of the religious conservatism but strongly advocated for religious temperance and humility.
In addition, he is also known for leading the constitutional initiatives to form the inquiry commission on the Kargil War, against Pervez Musharraf, whom he saw as a "traitor", and voiced support for civilian control of the military.