Jamal Raisani at a press conference in Quetta on November 7, 2023
Bild: Picture Alliance
Pakistan’s youngest MP Jamal Raisani lives dangerously. In the conflict-affected province of Balochistan, he stands on the side of the military – and has to assert himself against his own family’s reservations.
AWhen his father was killed during a campaign appearance in Pakistan in 2018, Jamal Raisani was training for football in Thailand. He was 19 years old, played in the Thai professional league and studied peace and conflict studies in Chiang Rai. He is now the youngest member of Pakistan’s newly elected parliament, which is due to convene its inaugural session this Thursday.
In Pakistani politics, a few families have shared power among themselves for decades. This also applies to the province of Balochistan, where Jamal Raisani, as a 25-year-old tribal leader, is now resolving land and marital conflicts. His grandfather was a provincial governor and federal minister. One uncle was the head of government of Balochistan, another a senator. It was clear for a long time that he would go into politics himself at some point. As the only surviving son, he wants to preserve his father’s “legacy,” says Raisani in a video conversation from Quetta.
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