ISLAMABAD: After a wait of 19 months, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) got its lone woman member, and its minimum mandated strength of nine, on Monday when the government nominated Dr Samia Raheel Qazi to the seat for three years.

Dr Qazi fills the seat that fell vacant with the death of her predecessor Dr Farida Ahmed Siddiqui in August 2013. Her late father Qazi Hussain Ahmed was amir of Jamaat and she herself was a member of the National Assembly elected in 2007.

Her predecessor was the sister of late Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, leader of Jamiat Ulema Pakistan.

Take a look: The CII – again

Appointments to the CII are approved by the President of Pakistan. But they are viewed as political appointments and a balancing act between various schools of thought, and so sometimes raise controversies.

Amir Rana, the director of the Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute of Policy Studies, thinks that lobbying and political clout works in securing a seat on CII.

“Just like the appointment of Ali Muhammad Abu Turab, her nomination was recommended by Minister of State for Religious Affairs Pir Amin ul Hasnat,” he said commenting on Dr Qazi’s appointment.

In his opinion, “the CII has practically become a forum to adjust political allies and favourites” belonging to various walks of life.

Jamaat-i-Islami spokesman Shahid Shamsi denied the party lobbied for Dr Samia Qazi. “She deserved the position on the strength of her knowledge, experience and track record of promoting Islam and Islamic values,” he said.

Political analysts feel that Dr Samia Raheel Qazi was “the candidate best suited to all the concerned”.

Peshawar-based veteran journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai recalled that the reigning Sharif brothers had good relations with late Qazi Hussain Ahmed.

“Despite its alliance with the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the JI has lent support to the PML-N at the centre. Therefore a reward from the PM Nawaz Sharif was expected,” he said.

Dr Qazi also got the advantage that the PPP favourite for the CII woman slot, Khanum Tayaba Bukhari, had left the country after receiving sectarian threats.

The CII is a constitutional advisory body with a minimum eight and maximum 20 members, including the Chairman. At least two members have to be sitting or retired superior judges; four have to be scholars of 15 years standing in Islamic instruction and research.

The main function of the CII is to see that no law is enacted in the country against the teachings of Islam.

Published in Dawn March 10th, 2015

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