SRINAGAR: Dr Abdul Hameed Fayaz took over as the next president of Jama’at-e-Islami. The take over took place at Jama’at’s Batamaloo headquarters where his predecessor Ghulam Mohammad Bhat welcomed him and make him take over the reigns of Kashmir’s oldest socio-religious party.
Most of the afternoon remained busy with the Jama’at cadres calling on the new Amir and wishing him best of his tenure. Jama’at’s powerful Majlis-e-Shoura elects its president for a three-year term.
“It was a simple function,” Jama’at spokesman Zahid Ali said. “The district presidents of the party were there to welcome the new Amir along with his predecessor.” The takeover function witnessed the formal welcome after the recitation of the Quran. The members who briefly spoke on the occasion said the Jamaat constitution is supreme and everybody will work towards strengthing the party. “Later, senior Jama’at members accompanied Bhat sahab to his residence which is the tradition in the party,” Zahid added.
Party sources said the new Amir will take some time in appointing his team in coming days and it hopefully must take a week or so.
Fayaz, a PhD in Iqbaliat, and Jama’at’s old workers was elected as the party president last week. He has earlier been secretary general of the party as well.
Hameed Fayaz is Jama’at’s seventh president since the party was founded in Jammu and Kashmir. Its founder Moulana Saiduddin Tarbali has been the president of the party for thirty years – from 1954 to 1984. It was in 1985 when Ghulam Mohammad Bhat replaced him as the youngest Amir. He was 55 years of age when he succeeded the aged founder of the party. Bhat at three terms – the first from 1984 to 1987, the second term from 1998 to 2003, which was the challenging one and more recently when he was summoned out of retirment to head for teh third term between 2015 to 2018.
Hakeem Ghulam Nabi was the third Amir who had just one long-term between 1987 and 1997, a complete decade. The main factor for his continuation was the turmoil.
Sheikh Ghulam Hassan, he would prefer writing his name as, Sheikh Mohammad Hassan, led the party for two consecutive terms between 2006 to 2012.
Hassn was replaced succeeded by Mohammad Abdullah Wani in 2012 for a three year term that concluded in 2015. It was at this juncture when Bhat was recalled from his retirenet to head the party.
A party statement issued this evening said the new president was welcomed to the new assignment by two of his predecessors, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Mohammad Abdullah Wani in presence of the entire central and district leadership of Jama’at. “The ceremony took place in accordance with the set traditions of Jama’at wherein Ex-chief was given a warm send off,” the statement said. “Ameer Jama’at after taking his charge assured the participants that he would abide by the party constitution in letter and spirit in accordance with the set methodology in a peaceful and democratic manner and the message of Islam would be vigorously propagated keeping in view the noble goal set by the party constitution. He asked for full co-operation of the party cadres for the achievement of the set goal and the participants assured all possible assistance with all sincerity and dedication.”
