Former MNA Muhammad Hussain Mehanti was sworn in as the new emir (chief) of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Sindh on Wednesday after his predecessor Mairaj ul Huda Siddiqui completed his second consecutive three-year term in office, party spokesperson Zahid Askari said.
After an amendment in the party constitution, no member can be elected to an office – from local unit to provincial headquarters – thrice. The oath- taking ceremony for the new provincial chief of the JI was held at party’s headquarters in Karachi, Idara Noor-e-Haq.
JI central chief Sirajul Haq administered the oath to Mehanti, who will serve the office until October 2021. Previously, Mehanti served as the vice provincial chief and Karachi chief. Besides, he was also elected an MNA of the party from the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal platform in General Election 2002. He was also awarded a ticket to contest General Election 2018 for an NA seat but could not succeed.
According to a statement issued by the party, Mehanti joined the JI in 1973. Earlier, he had been associated with the party’s student wing Islami Jamiat Talaba since 1965. Belonging to the Memon community in the city, he by profession is a chartered accountant and runs an auditing and consultancy firm.
Correction
A story published by The News on November 1, 2018, under the heading ‘Life in Karachi disrupted over Asia’s acquittal’, wrongfully reported Mehanti being sworn as new Karachi chief for the JI. The error is regretted.