Zaid Hamid

Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid
سید زید الزمان حامد
Personal Details
Born

14. March 1964 (1964-03-14) (age 52)

[1]
Other names Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid
Nationality Pakistani
Occupation Political commentator
Defense Analyst
Spiritual scholar
Islamic scholar
Religion Islam
Denomination Sunni
Notable work(s) BrassTacks TV Series: Takmeel-e-Pakistan Movement
Website ZaidHamid.pk

Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid (Urdu: سید زید الزمان حامد‎), better known as Zaid Hamid, is a Pakistani political commentator.[2][3] His byline in newspaper articles has been Zaid Zaman.

Early life and education

Zaid was born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1964. His father, Major (retired) Mahmood uz Zaman Hamid, served in the Pakistan Army. Zaid spent his early life in Karachi. He received a PhD in Islamic studies from NED University, Karachi in 1980's.

Political views

Through his TV programmes, Hamid has claimed that a nexus between RAW, Mossad and the CIA is responsible for the destabilization of Pakistan. He also claims that the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, were part of a plan hatched by "Hindu Zionists", and that it was an attempt by the Indians to stage a false flag attack, which he accuses the September 11th Attacks of being.[2][3][4] He is also very vocal and critical about Ajit Doval, who is an Indian intelligence officer and is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Security Adviser.

Hamid believes that Prophet Muhammad had declared Ghazwa on India, and claims that India will be "trounced and enslaved according to sharia if Hindus don’t repent and embrace Islam."[5]

TV show

Hamid first gained recognition in Pakistan for a TV show, Brasstacks, that aired on NewsOne. Hamid critiqued the capitalist system that had led the world to many wars. His series on "Economic Terrorism" earned him prominence.

Criticism

A number of Pakistani journalists, writers and Islamic scholars[6] have criticized Hamid and have described his views on politics and security as conspiracy theories.[7][8][9][10] Zaid Hamid has been criticised as xenophobic and accused of hate speech towards Hindus, Jews and Pashtuns.[11][12]

On 20-November-2013, Imaad Khalid, a former staff member of Zaid Hamid, revealed at a press conference, that Zaid Hamid was plotting to assassinate Pro-democracy Army Chief, Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani.[13] He showed Media the emails that he claims were sent by Zaid Hamid to different Army Officers asking them for a revolt against their own chief. He said "Zaid Hamid is a quisling and enemy of Islam and Pakistan, who had plotted unsuccessfully to assassinate the pro-democracy army chief Gen Kayani."[13] Khalid further claimed that Zaid's hit list also contained the names of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and others from the media and the judiciary.[13]

Responding to the allegations Zaid Hamid wrote on Twitter, "Pak Army (Pakistan Army) is an extremely professional org. Anyone contacting thousands of officers for rebellion against COAS cannot survive," in another tweet he wrote, "Imaad was our team member who suddenly became hostile in April & joined the enemies."[13]

Arrest

In June 2015, Hamid was arrested in Saudi Arabia after making speeches against the Saudi government. He was visiting the Kingdom on a private tour with family when he was arrested.[14]

On 1 July 2015 media sources began citing unconfirmed reports that Hamid has been sentenced to 8 years in prison, and 1,000 or 1,200 lashes, for criticizing the government in Saudi Arabia.[15][16] Media reports later claimed these reports about the sentence were a hoax.[17] The Pakistan embassy has officially requested consular access and information about the charges against Hamid.[18] He was released in the start of October 2015[19] due to lack of evidence and baseless allegation of spying for Iran.[20] Hamid alleges that the allegation of spying was hatched up by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's spy agency).[20]

References

  1. ↑ Amber Rahim Shamsi (9 May 2010). "Will the real Zaid Hamid please stand up?". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 Nandita Sengupta (8 December 2008). "Pak TV channel says 26/11 hatched by Hindu Zionists". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Hate speech -- II: The Pakistan report card". The International News. Karachi, Pakistan. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008.
  4. ↑ "Educated and radical: Why Pakistan produces Faisal Shahzads". Christian Science Monitor. 10 May 2010.
  5. ↑ Khaled Ahmed (13 August 2015). "An Islamic superman". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Zaid Hamid Ki Haqeeqat
  7. ↑ Gul Bukhari. "Clear and present danger". Dawn. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Nadeem F. Paracha (8 March 2012). "Declaring sanity". Dawn. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Hate speech III – by Fasi Zaka (The News) « Zaid Zaman Hamid and a few hundred Zaidonists". Zaidonists.wordpress.com. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Will the real Zaid Hamid please stand up?". The Express Tribune.
  11. ↑ Nadeem F. Paracha (11 August 2009). "In defence of reason". Dawn. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  12. ↑ Ludovica Iaccino (1 July 2015). "Saudi Arabia: Pakistan's controversial Zaid Hamid faces 1,000 lashes and 8 years in jail for criticising kingdom". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Hasan Mansoor (21 November 2013). "Zaid Hamid accused of plotting to kill key figures". Dawn. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia". The Express Tribune.
  15. ↑ "Zaid Hamid sentenced to 8 years, 1,000 lashes in Saudi Arabia: report". The Express Tribune.
  16. ↑ "Zaid Hamid reportedly sentenced to eight years prison, 1,200 lashes for criticising Saudi govt". Daily Pakistan Global.
  17. ↑ Shivam Vij (5 July 2015). "No, Zaid Hamid isn't getting Saudi lashes. Not yet". The Express Tribune.
  18. ↑ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Islamabad, Pakistan". mofa.gov.pk.
  19. ↑ Mateen Haider (3 October 2015). "Zaid Hamid returns to Pakistan after KSA arrest". DAWN. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  20. 1 2 "REVEALED: Why was Zaid Hamid detained in Saudi Arabia?". dailypakistan.com.pk.

External links

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