Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar

Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar was a Pakistani politician who served as the sixth prime minister of Pakistan. He held this high office for 55 days after being appointed on 17 October 1957.

Early life and education

Chundrigar was born in Godhra, Gujarat, on 15 September 1897. As an only child, he moved to Bombay to pursue his higher studies. He attended the University of Bombay where he earned a BA degree. Later, he obtained his LLB degree in 1920.

He began his professional life as a lawyer for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation from 1929 until 1932. After this period, he practiced civil law before moving to the Bombay High Court in 1937. This move helped him establish a significant legal reputation. During these years, he met Muhammad Ali Jinnah and shared similar political views.

Career

In 1935, the Muslim League selected Chundrigar to respond to the Government of India Act 1935. He argued that the Governor-General did not possess the powers granted by the British government. He later won a seat in the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a Muslim League candidate during the 1937 provincial elections. From 1940 to 1945, he served as the president of the Bombay provincial Muslim League.

Chundrigar was elected to the assembly again in 1946 from an urban constituency in Ahmedabad. He served as Commerce Minister under Viceroys Archibald Wavell and Louis Mountbatten. Following the partition of India, he remained the commerce minister in the administration of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan starting on 15 August 1947.

His diplomatic career began in May 1948 when he was appointed Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan. Although the appointment was well received, he faced difficulties regarding the north-west border issue. The Foreign Office eventually recalled him because they believed his lack of understanding regarding Pashtun culture fractured relations. He then served as the governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from 1950 until 1951.

A cabinet reshuffle in 1951 led to his appointment as the governor of Punjab. He resigned from this position in 1953 due to disagreements with Governor-General M.G. Muhammad. In 1955, he joined a three-party coalition as the minister of law and justice. He also acted as the leader of the opposition during this time.

Chundrigar gained public prominence for his legal arguments in the case of "Maulvi Tamizuddin vs. Federation of Pakistan." He was nominated as Prime Minister following the resignation of Suhrawardy in 1957. He received his oath of office from Chief Justice M. Munir on 18 October 1957. His tenure was marked by opposition to his plans to reform the Electoral College.

A vote of no confidence led to his resignation on 11 December 1957. This term remains the third shortest in Pakistan's parliamentary history. It lasted only 55 days, following the shorter terms of Nurul Amin and Shujaat Hussain.

Personal life

Chundrigar served as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association starting in 1958. In 1960, he traveled to Hamburg to address the International Law Conference. While visiting London, he suffered a hemorrhage and was taken to the Royal Northern Hospital. He died suddenly during his treatment. His body was returned to Karachi for burial in a local cemetery.

Awards and recognition

The government of Pakistan renamed McLeod Road in Karachi to honor his memory. He is recognized as one of the Founding Fathers of the Dominion of Pakistan.