Iskandar Ali Mirza

Iskander Ali Mirza was a Pakistani politician and military general who served as the first president of Pakistan. He held the position from the promulgation of the first constitution in 1956 until he was overthrown in a coup d'état in 1958. Before his presidency, he served as the fourth and last governor-general of the country.

Early life and education

Sahibzada Iskander Ali Mirza was born in Murshidabad, Bengal, on 13 November 1899. He belonged to an elite and wealthy aristocrat family that held the title of Nawab of Murshidabad. His father was Nawab Fateh Ali Mirza, while his mother was Dilshad Begum. Through his grandfather, Mirza possessed Syed Iraqi Arab descent. The family maintained close ties to the British monarchy.

Mirza completed his initial schooling in Bombay and attended Elphinstone College at the University of Bombay. He eventually left the university to attend the Royal Military College in Sandhurst after the British Governor-General selected him for the King's Commission. He became the first Indian graduate of that military college.

Career

Mirza entered the British Indian Army as a 2nd Lt. on 16 July 1920. He was commissioned into the 33rd Cavalry, which was also known as the 17th Poona Horse. After serving with the Cameronians, he was promoted to lieutenant on 16 July 1921. His military service included participation in the Waziristan war in 1920 while stationed in the North-West Frontier Province.

He joined the Indian Political Service in August 1926. During his tenure, he served as an assistant commissioner in Aligarh and later as a political agent in Hazara. He was promoted to captain on 17 October 1927. Mirza spent several years as a political agent in the Tribal Belt, including postings in Dera Ismail Khan, Tonk, Bannu, and Nowshera. He eventually became the political agent of the Tribal Belt at Khyber in April 1938. By 16 July 1946, he reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

The British Indian Government appointed him as the Joint Secretary to the Government of India at the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi in 1946. In this capacity, he was responsible for dividing the British Indian Army into the separate armies for Pakistan and India. Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan appointed him as the first Defence Secretary. He oversaw military operations during the first war with India in 1947 and managed the failed secession in Balochistan in 1948. In 1950, he was promoted to the rank of major-general.

Mirza moved into high-level political roles when Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra appointed him Governor of East Bengal in 1954. He later served as Interior Minister within the same administration in 1955. After playing a role in the removal of Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad, Mirza became the fourth governor-general in 1955. He was elected as the first President of Pakistan in 1956 when the nation's first constitution was promulgated.

His presidency faced significant political instability. He intervened in civilian administration and caused the dismissal of four prime ministers within two years. On 8 October 1958, Mirza declared martial law and abrogated the constitution to oppose the administration of Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon. This action was enforced through General Ayub Khan. Three weeks later, General Ayub Khan ousted Mirza and sent him into exile.

Personal life

Mirza lived in the United Kingdom for the remainder of his life following his exile. He died on 13 November 1969. He was buried in Iran.

Awards and recognition

Mirza received several honors during his career. His decorations included the Officer of the Order of the British Empire and the Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. He also held the King George VI Coronation Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. Additionally, he was awarded the Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit.