{{Short description|Pakistani politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Sahibzada Muhammad Fazal Karim | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | caption = | constituency_AM = [[Constituency NA-82]] | assembly1 = Pakistan | majority1 = <!--Can be repeated up to eight times by adding a number--> | term_start1 = 2002 | term_end1 = 2007 | assembly2 = Pakistan | majority2 = <!--Can be repeated up to eight times by adding a number--> | term_start2 = 2008 | term_end2 = 2013 | predecessor = <!--Can be repeated up to eight times by adding a number--> | successor = <!--Can be repeated up to eight times by adding a number--> | prior_term = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1954|10|24}} | birth_place = [[Faisalabad]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2013|4|15|1954|10|24}} | death_place = Faisalabad | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | birth_name = | citizenship = | party = [[Pakistan Muslim League N]] | other_party = [[Sunni Ittehad Council]] | spouse = | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | footnotes = | blank1 = | data1 = | blank2 = | data2 = | blank3 = | data3 = | blank4 = | data4 = | blank5 = | data5 = }} '''Sahibzada Haji Muhammad Fazal Karim''' (24 October 1954 – 15 April 2013) was a Pakistani religious leader and politician who belonged to an intellectual and spiritual family of Islamic scholars.
He was a senior and the most vocal member of Pakistan Muslim League (N), from which he separated later on, for not adopting a principled stand against terrorism. He was elected as founder General Secretary of Jamat e Ahle Sunnat Pakistan in 1978 and later served as Senior Vice President of [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan]] (JUP).<ref name=TheNation/><ref name=PakTribune>{{cite news|url=http://old.paktribune.com/news/Sunni-Ettehad-Council-chairman-Sahibzada-Fazal-Kareem-passes-away-259170.html|date=16 April 2013|newspaper=PakTribune.com |archive-date=21 June 2020|title=Sunni Ettehad Council chairman Sahibzada Fazal Kareem passes away|url-status=dead|access-date=1 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621082918/http://old.paktribune.com/news/Sunni-Ettehad-Council-chairman-Sahibzada-Fazal-Kareem-passes-away-259170.html}}</ref><ref name=PakistanHerald>{{cite web|date=26 August 2009 |title=Sahibzada Muhammad Fazal-e-Karim Profile|website=Pakistan Herald website |url=http://www.pakistanherald.com/Profile/Sahibzada-Haji-Muhammad-Fazal-e-Karim-725|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002031904/http://www.pakistanherald.com/Profile/Sahibzada-Haji-Muhammad-Fazal-e-Karim-725|archive-date=2013-10-02|access-date=2025-05-01}}</ref>
He was elected from [[Faisalabad]], twice as a member of the Provincial Assembly and twice as Member of [[National Assembly (Pakistan)|National Assembly]] from 1993 to 2013 (till his death). He also served as Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs as well as Chairman, 'Muttahida Ulema Board Punjab'.<ref name=PakistanHerald/><ref name=Tribune/> He was also the Founder Chairman of the [[Sunni Ittehad Council]], which is an amalgamation of several Barelivi parties across the globe.<ref name=PakistanHerald/>
== Early life == Fazal Karim was born on 24 October 1954 at [[Faisalabad]].<ref name=Tribune/><ref name=PakistanHerald/> He was son of Islamic scholar [[Sardar Ahmad Chishti]].<ref name=PakistanHerald/><ref name=TheNation/> He did his post graduation in Islamic studies from 'Jamia Rizvia' in the year 1987.<ref name=Tribune>{{cite news|title=Transitions: Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Fazal Karim dies|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/536163/transitions-sunni-ittehad-council-chairman-sahibzada-fazal-karim-dies/|access-date=1 May 2025|newspaper=The Express Tribune newspaper|date=16 April 2013|author=Shamsul Islam|archive-date=11 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911221009/http://tribune.com.pk/story/536163/transitions-sunni-ittehad-council-chairman-sahibzada-fazal-karim-dies/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Political career == Karim got elected to the [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab|Provincial Assembly]] of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] in 1993 as a member of [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)]] and remained till the dissolution of the assembly in 1997. He held the office of Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs during this tenure. In 2002 he got elected on Pakistan Muslim League (N)'s ticket from [[Constituency NA-82|NA-82]] this time for the [[National Assembly (Pakistan)|National Assembly of Pakistan]] and completed his five-year term. He was again elected in 2008 from the same constituency.<ref name=Tribune/> Under his leadership SIC started long March named, Labaik Ya Rasool Allah صلى الله تعالى عليه وآله وسلم long march with the support of [[Jamaat Ahle Sunnat]], the [[Sunni Tehreek]] and Jamia Ulema Pakistan. Karim stated his view that Pakistan is not a secular country, but rather an Islamic state, and "we will continue our efforts till the enforcement of Islamic law in the country established in the name of Allah after numerous sacrifices."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/11-Nov-2012/fazal-karim-pledges-efforts-till-enforcement-of-shariah |title=Fazal Karim pledges efforts till enforcement of Shariah|newspaper=The Nation newspaper|date=11 November 2012|access-date=2025-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508215607/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/11-Nov-2012/fazal-karim-pledges-efforts-till-enforcement-of-shariah |archive-date=2013-05-08 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Death == Suffering from liver cancer, he was hospitalised in Faisalabad in critical condition on 4 April 2013, and died on 15 April 2013.<ref name=TheNation>{{cite news|url=https://www.nation.com.pk/16-Apr-2013/sahibzada-fazal-karim-the-man-he-was |title=Sahibzada Fazal Karim – the man he was|newspaper=The Nation newspaper|date= 16 April 2013|access-date=2025-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002112723/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/editors-picks/16-Apr-2013/sahibzada-fazal-karim-the-man-he-was|archive-date=2013-10-02|author=Arshad Bhatti|url-status=dead}}</ref>
PML-N President [[Nawaz Sharif]], Punjab Chief Minister [[Najam Sethi]], former chief minister [[Shahbaz Sharif]], and other dignitaries sent their condolences. [[Pakistan Sunni Tehreek]] also announced mourning and suspension of political activities for three days.<ref name=TheNation/> Among his survivors are his four sons - Hamid Raza, Hussain Raza, Hassan Raza and Mohsin Raza and a daughter.<ref name=Tribune/>
== References == {{reflist}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karim, Sahibzada Haji Muhammad Fazal}} [[Category:1954 births]] [[Category:2013 deaths]] [[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (N) politicians]] [[Category:People from Faisalabad]] [[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2002–2007]] [[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2008–2013]] [[Category:Barelvis]] [[Category:Jamia Nizamia Ghousia alumni]]