Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq (; born 20 February 1952) is a Pakistani politician who is the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Z). The eldest son of former Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, he served as Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities in the government of President Pervez Musharraf from 2004 to 2007, after serving as Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis in the government of Nawaz Sharif from 1990 to 1993.
A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Ijaz worked as a banker before entering politics in 1988, following the death of his father and president Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. He has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since February 2024.
Early life and education
Ijaz was born on 20 February 1952 in Peshawar to President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, who was born in Jalandhar, and Shafiq Jahan, who was born in Uganda.
He received his master's degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University, United States.
Ijaz was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the first time in the 1990 Pakistani general election from NA-39 Rawalpindi-IV and NA-72 Toba Tek Singh-II as a candidate of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), defeating the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidates. The elections were declared manipulated and rigged by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2012.
Pakistan Muslim League (N): 1993–2002
Ijaz was re-elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the second time in the 1993 Pakistani general election from NA-54 Rawalpindi-IV as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)), defeating the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate.
In 1994, he was imprisoned with other PML(N) leaders in Adiala Jail.
Ijaz was re-elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the third time in the 1997 Pakistani general election from NA-54 Rawalpindi-IV as a candidate of the PML(N), defeating the PPP candidate.
He ran from NA-169 Bahawalnagar-IV as a candidate of PML(Z) in the 2018 Pakistani general election, but lost to Noorul Hassan Tanvir, a PML(N) candidate. Ijaz received 72,461 votes.
PML(Z) merger with PTI rumours and denial
On 19 March 2023, Ijaz merged the PML(Z) into the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after a meeting with Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the chairman of the PTI. He further said that he would contest the next general elections on a PTI ticket. On 29 May 2023, he later denied the rumours of PML-Z getting merged into PTI.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly from NA-163 Bahawalnagar-IV as a candidate of PML(Z) in the 2024 Pakistani general election. He received 84,343 votes and defeated Shaukat Basra, an Independent politician candidate supported by PTI.
Writings
He has written columns for different Urdu publications, including Daily Jang, and Dunya News.