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Quick facts for kids Javed Hashmi
جاوید ہاشمی
Javed Hashmi in 2007

Minister for Environment and Conservation
In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Deputy	Zahid Hamid (Director of the EPA)
Preceded by	Benazir administration
Succeeded by	Salim Saifullah Khan
Minister of Health Services
In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by	Benazir administration
Succeeded by	Dr. Abdul Malik Kasi
Minister of State for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
In office 26 May 1993 – 18 July 1993
Prime Minister	Nawaz Sharif
Minister of State for the Ministry of Youth and Student Affairs
In office 1978–1979
President	Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
PMLN
In office 2001–2005
Preceded by	Kulsoom Nawaz
Succeeded by	Nisar Ali Khan
President of PTI
In office 19 March 2012 – 23 September 2014
Preceded by	Imran Khan
Succeeded by	Parvez Elahi

Personal details
Born	Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi (1948-01-01) 1 January 1948 (age 77) Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
Children	Bushra Hashmi, Maimoona, Javeria Hashmi (Daughters)
Alma mater	Punjab University (BSc, MSc, and MPhil in Poly Sci.)
Profession	Lawyer, agriculturist

Javed Hashmi (born January 1, 1948) is a Pakistani politician and a well-known conservative thinker. He has been a member of both the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) political parties.

Hashmi served as a government minister in the 1990s under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He strongly believed that the civilian government should be in charge, not the military. After the military took over the government in 1999, Hashmi spoke out. He even asked for an investigation into events involving then-President Pervez Musharraf in 2003.

In 2004, Hashmi faced legal challenges and was put in jail for a time. However, the Supreme Court of Pakistan later overturned his sentence in 2007. He initially supported efforts to remove President Musharraf alongside Nawaz Sharif. Later, he left the PML-N to join Imran Khan's PTI in 2011. But he left the PTI in 2014 after disagreeing with a large protest, which he felt was trying to destabilize the elected government.

After losing a special election, Hashmi rejoined the PML-N in 2018, settling his differences with Nawaz Sharif. Besides his political work, Hashmi is a writer who focuses on world politics. He wrote a book called Yes! I'm a Rebel.

Early Life and Education
Political Career
Political Ideas
Personal Life and Health
Books
See Also

Early Life and Education

Javed Hashmi was born on January 1, 1948, in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. His family was involved in the Pakistan Movement, which led to the creation of Pakistan. They were part of the All-India Muslim League from its beginning.

After finishing high school in 1968, Hashmi attended Emerson College in Multan. In 1970, he moved to Punjab University in Lahore. There, he became active in student politics with the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, a student group linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami party.

He earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Political Science from Punjab University in 1969. He continued his studies, getting a Master of Science (MSc) in political science in 1971 and later a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in the same subject from the same university.

In 1972, Hashmi gained public attention when he led student protests. In 1974, he led protests in Lahore against the decision to recognize Bangladesh as an independent country. He even managed to get close to the car of the Saudi King Shah Faisal. At that time, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto offered him a political job in London, but Hashmi turned it down.

Political Career

Early Political Roles

In 1978, Javed Hashmi became the Minister of State for Youth and Student Affairs in the government led by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. At 29, he was the youngest minister. However, he later felt uncomfortable working with military officials and left the government. He then started working as a lawyer at the Lahore High Court and helped manage his family's farms.

Serving in Sharif's Governments: 1985–1999

Hashmi returned to national politics in the 1985 general elections. He won a seat in the National Assembly for the NA-149 (Multan-II) area as a member of the Pakistan Muslim League. In 1988, he joined the conservative group of the PML, led by Fida Mohammad Khan.

He successfully won his seat again in the 1988 and 1990 general elections. During this time, he became the Minister of State for Youth Affairs in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's first government.

In 1993, his name was mentioned in a financial investigation. He later expressed regret about accepting money from an accountant in 1993.

In the 1997 general elections, Hashmi won his Multan seat again. He was then appointed Minister of Health and Minister for Environment in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's second government. He visited Morocco in 1999 for official duties. In 1998, he went to Switzerland for an environmental conference but quickly returned to Pakistan after learning that India had conducted nuclear tests.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Hashmi strongly supported Pakistan's decision to conduct its own nuclear tests, which happened in May 1998. In Parliament, Hashmi was reportedly very excited, celebrating the tests.

His time as minister ended suddenly in 1999 when General Pervez Musharraf took over the government. Hashmi was then appointed President of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a position he held until 2005.

Speaking Out and Imprisonment: 1999–2008

After the military took over in 1999, Hashmi became a strong critic of President Pervez Musharraf. He strongly believed that the civilian government should control the military. From 2001 to 2004, Hashmi asked international groups like the Commonwealth of Nations and the European Union to help bring back civilian rule in Pakistan.

In 2001, an investigation into his role in a financial scandal was opened, but no strong evidence was found against him.

Hashmi led protests against President Musharraf's approach to the "War on Terror" in 2001, which led to the US invasion of Afghanistan. In 2002, another political leader tried to convince Hashmi to support President Musharraf, but it was unsuccessful. In the 2002 general elections, Hashmi was nominated by opposition parties to run for Prime Minister against Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Hashmi later accepted his defeat in the elections.

On October 20, 2003, Hashmi spoke about alleged corruption within the Pakistani military. He called for investigations against military leaders and criticized President Musharraf for campaigning while still in military uniform. On October 29, 2003, he was arrested by military police on charges of encouraging rebellion. His trials were held in prison, which raised concerns about fairness. On April 12, 2004, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Many people in Pakistan criticized this verdict, seeing it as unfair and politically motivated. Opposition groups called him a "political prisoner." While in Central Jail Lahore, he wrote a book called Haan Mein Baghi Hun! (meaning Yes, I am Rebel!). In this book, he wrote about the military's involvement in politics and Pakistan's relationship with the United States. He also wrote another book, Takhtaey-e-Daar Kay Saaey Talay (meaning Under the Shadow of Hanging Board).

On August 3, 2007, the Supreme Court of Pakistan granted him bail after he had served about three and a half years in prison. He was released on August 4, 2007, but was arrested again on November 3, 2007, when a state of emergency was declared.

Parliamentary Politics and Time with PTI (2008–2014)

In the 2008 general elections, Hashmi won a seat in Parliament. He spoke against a strategic partnership offered by the United States, saying it was an interference in Pakistan's intelligence community. He said that Pakistan should fix its own issues and that the military should stay within its assigned roles. On May 7, 2011, Hashmi resigned from Parliament, saying it was not passing real laws.

On December 24, 2011, Hashmi left the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Imran Khan. He spoke at a rally in Karachi, but also warned Imran Khan that he would disagree if the party did not keep its promises. In the 2013 general elections, Hashmi won two seats for the PTI. He later gave up one seat. He spoke in favor of Nawaz Sharif during a vote of confidence, saying, "Political differences aside, Nawaz is my political leader and will remain so." This view caused disagreements within the PTI leadership.

On August 14, 2014, Hashmi expressed serious concerns when Imran Khan decided to lead large protests against alleged election rigging. Although he addressed the march, he left the party on August 31, 2014, after the march became violent and moved towards the Prime Minister's office. On September 1, 2014, Hashmi accused the Pakistan Army of trying to destabilize the government. Imran Khan then removed him from the PTI on September 26, 2014.

Rejoining PML(N) (2018–Present)

On May 12, 2018, Hashmi and his daughter, Mamoona Hashmi, met with Nawaz Sharif and announced that he was rejoining the Pakistan Muslim League (N). He praised Nawaz Sharif's contributions to the country and also spoke highly of his daughter, Mamoona, and Sharif's daughter, Maryam Nawaz, for their support of the party.

Political Ideas

In 1987, Hashmi correctly predicted that Russian troops would leave Afghanistan and that relations between India and the U.S. would improve, which might affect Pakistan. He disagreed with Pakistan's policy towards the Soviet Union and called for stronger ties with Russia.

In his book, I'm a Rebel, Hashmi shares his views on national conservatism. He wrote critically about how military governments in Pakistan have harmed the country's unity. He believed that these governments relied too much on the United States for political support, often negotiating with India without a clear plan just to gain legitimacy.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Hashmi predicted that PML(N) leaders would be imprisoned and that Musharraf would allow the U.S. to use military bases for the invasion of Afghanistan. He also predicted that India would support certain groups in Western Pakistan. While he agreed with Prime Minister Sharif's policy on India, Hashmi demanded an investigation into General Pervez Musharraf regarding the Kargil War and the military takeover.

Personal Life and Health

Javed Hashmi has two daughters. His elder daughter, Mamoona Hashmi, is a senior leader and a member of Parliament for the Pakistan Muslim League (N). His younger daughter, Bushra, is not involved in politics.

On July 20, 2010, Hashmi was hospitalized after suffering a brain hemorrhage and a stroke. He was later admitted to another hospital for a minor fever, but his brain scans came back normal.

Books

ىاں! ميں باغىى ہوں (Yes! I am Rebel), Lahore: Sagar Publications, 2005.
تختہ دار کے سائے تلے (Under the Shadows of Gallows), Lahore: Jahangir Books Publications, 2007.