Liaquat Ali Khan

Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani lawyer, politician and statesman who served as the first prime minister of Pakistan from 1947 until 1951. He acted as a central figure in the Pakistan Movement and assisted Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the campaign to establish a separate Muslim nation-state. Following his death, he became revered by the public as Quaid-e-Millat and Shaheed-e-Millat.

Early life and education

Khan was born on 1 October 1895 in Karnal, Haryana, to a wealthy Rajput family belonging to the Mandal clan. He was the second of 4 sons born to Rukn-ud-Daulah Shamsher Jung Nawab Bahadur Rustam Ali Khan and Mahmoodah Begum. His grandfather, Nawab Ahmad Ali, had received substantial rewards from the British for supporting them during the Mutiny of 1857–1858. This family background included prestigious honours and the complete remission of rent.

He received his early schooling in Karnal where he studied the Qur’an and hadith. His education also included music lessons, specifically learning to play the flute and the harmonium. After his father died in 1919, Khan traveled to England to continue his studies. He attended Exeter College at Oxford University, where he earned a Master of Law in Law and Justice in 1921. During his time as a graduate student, he served as the Treasurer of the Majlis Society—a union for Indian students. He was eventually called to the Bar at the Inner Temple of London in 1922.

Career

Khan returned to India in 1923 to enter national politics. Although the Indian National Congress initially invited him to join, he opted to join the All-India Muslim League instead. He became a close associate of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and was often described as his 'right hand'. In 1926, he was elected to the provisional legislative council representing the rural Muslim constituency of Muzaffarnagar. He later served as the Deputy President of the UP Legislative Council in 1932.

His political influence expanded when he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly in 1940. Before the independence of Pakistan, Khan held the position of Finance minister of British India within the Interim Government led by Louis Mountbatten. Upon the creation of Pakistan in 1947, he assumed the role of prime minister. He also managed several cabinet portfolios, including foreign minister, defence minister and frontier regions minister.

As prime minister, Khan shaped the foreign policy of the new state by siding with the United States-led Western Bloc during the early Cold War. In 1949, he promulgated the Objectives Resolution to establish Pakistan as an Islamic democracy. His leadership faced significant challenges, including an attempted coup by segments of the military and left-wing opponents in March 1951. On 16 October 1951, Khan was shot dead by an Afghan militant named Said Akbar while delivering a speech in Rawalpindi.

Personal life

Khan married his cousin, Jehangira Begum, in 1918. The couple eventually separated after their marriage. During his student years at Aligarh Muslim University, he was an active participant in campus life. He captained the cricket team and enjoyed playing chess. He also pursued classical Hindustani vocal music and took piano lessons.

Awards and recognition

The public honors bestowed upon Khan reflect his status in Pakistani history. He is widely revered by the people as Quaid-e-Millat, which means "Leader of the Nation". He is also known by the title Shaheed-e-Millat, meaning "Martyr of the Nation".