Ayub Khan

Mohammad Ayub Khan was a Pakistani politician and military officer who served as the 2nd President of Pakistan from 1958 until 1969. He held the distinction of being the first native Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, a position he occupied between 1951 and 1958. His presidency began after he overthrew President Iskander Mirza in a coup d'état.

Early life and education

Ayub Khan was born on 14 May 1907 in Rehana, which is a village located in the Haripur district of the North-West Frontier Province. He belonged to a Hindko-speaking family of Pashtun descent from the Tareen tribe. His father, Mir Dad Khan, served as a Risaldar-Major in the 9th Hodson's Horse. For his primary schooling, Khan attended a school in Sarai Saleh that sat approximately 4 miles from his home. He traveled to this school on a mule's back before moving to Haripur to live with his grandmother.

He later pursued higher studies at Aligarh Muslim University. While he was completing his college education, he received an acceptance into the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He received this recommendation from General Andrew Skeen and trained first in India before traveling to Great Britain. Khan was a multilingual individual who spoke Urdu, Pashto, English, and Hindko.

Career

Khan entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1926. He received his commission as a second lieutenant on 2 February 1928 within the 1st Battalion of the 14th Punjab Regiment. After completing his probationary service, he joined the British Indian Army on 10 April 1929. He earned promotions to lieutenant on 2 May 1930 and to captain on 2 February 1937. During the Second World War, he attained the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1942. He participated in the first phase of the Burma Campaign between 1942 and 1943. By 1945, he held the permanent rank of major and later served as a temporary colonel to direct operations during the second phase of the Burma Campaign.

Following his service in Burma, he returned to British India in 1946 to be stationed in the North-West Frontier Province. He was promoted to brigadier in 1947 and commanded a brigade in South Waziristan. After the Partition of British India in August 1947, Khan opted to join the Pakistan Army as one of its senior officers. He held the service number PA-010 and ranked tenth in terms of seniority at that time. In early 1948, he commanded the 14th Infantry Division as an acting major-general in Dacca. Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan decorated him with the Hilal-i-Jurat in 1949 for non-combatant service.

Khan became the first native Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army on 23 January 1951. He succeeded General Gracey after several other candidates, including Muhammed Akbar Khan and Iftikhar Khan, were unable to take the post. From 1953 to 1958, he served in the civilian government as the Minister for Defence and Home. He supported President Iskandar Ali Mirza when martial law was imposed against the administration of Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon on 7 October 1958. Three weeks later, Khan seized the presidency through a military coup.

As president, he aligned Pakistan with the United States and permitted American access to air bases, including one near Peshawar. While he strengthened ties with China, his relationship with the Soviet Union worsened in 1962 due to his US alignment. In 1965, he launched Operation Gibraltar against India, which triggered an all-out war that ended in a stalemate via the Tashkent Declaration. Domestically, he implemented laissez-faire policies and privatized state-owned industries. These economic shifts led to rapid growth, though critics argue the wealth remained with the elite due to weak taxation and failed land reforms.

Khan won the 1965 presidential election as the Convention Muslim League candidate against Fatima Jinnah. However, food price hikes in 1967 triggered widespread demonstrations led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Following intense protests in East Pakistan, he resigned on 25 March 1969 and appointed General Yahya Khan as his successor. He died in 1974 after fighting a brief illness.

Awards and recognition

Ayub Khan held several prestigious honors throughout his life. His recognized awards include the Member of the Order of the British Empire and the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He was also awarded the Royal Victorian Chain, the Order of Ojaswi Rajanya, and the Grand Cross of the Order of Excellence.