DUSHANBE, June 21, 2008, Asia-Plus — A roundtable meeting, entitled “The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan as Seen by Experts” is opening at the Center Dialogue in the building of the Center for Strategic Studies in Dushanbe today.
According to head office of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) in Dushanbe, representatives of president’s office, parliament, experts, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions, NGOs and others are participating at the meeting, which is dedicated to know experts’ opinions of activities of the party in the country.
Political scientist Rashid Ghani Abdullo and researcher Lola Dodkhudoyeva are expected to give papers at the meeting on history and activities of the IRPT in Tajikistan.
Said Abullo Nuri is considered the founder of the party, and Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda was the first chairman of the IRPT. Later, Said Abdullo Nuri was elected to head the party. After his death in August 2006, Muhiddin Kabiri headed the party.
According to the IRPT activists, the party originated in April 1973 as the Union of Islamic Youth founded on an initiative of Said Abdullo Nuri. However, the IRPT was officially registered on December 4, 1991. The party was banned by the Supreme Court in June 1993 and legalized in August 1999. The official newspaper of the party is
Najo
t.
The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan is the only Islamic party registered in Central Asia. The party was the backbone of the civil war-era opposition called the United Tajik Opposition (UTO).
The IRPT won two seats in the 2000 parliamentary elections. Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda and Nasriddin Saidov were elected to the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) on the party slate. In 2005, the party also won two seats in the lower house of the parliament. Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda and Muhiddin Kabiri were elected to the Majlisi Namoyandagon on the party slate.
The party now has 25,000 officially registered members; however, according to the IRPT board, the number of the party supporters and those wanting to join it is some 50,000 people.
