Liaquat Ali Khan: The first Prime Minister of Pakistan

In May 2021 it was reported that the (Pakistani) Punjab government had approached the ministry of national heritage for the construction of a museum in honour of the nation’s first Prime Minister- Liaquat Ali Khan. Sources have stated that the Liaquat Ali Khan Museum’s design would be meticulously assembled by sculptors of the renowned National College of Arts, while the project’s cost would be a tremendous sum of 300 million Pakistani Rupees. It will consist of antiques and items utilised by the first prime minister in addition to more artefacts such as his photos, and his speeches in the form of audio and video. The aforementioned sources have also referred to a 50-feet tall statue of Liaquat Ali Khan to be installed at the entrance!

This extravagant - and very costly - display of national admiration towards a political individual evokes one’s curiosity about the namesake’s identity. Liaquat Ali Khan was one of the leading Founding Fathers of modern Pakistan, statesman, lawyer, and political theorist who became and served as the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was born in October 1895 in Karnal, Eastern Punjab of British India into a wealthy family of landlords. His father, Nawab Rustam Ali Khan, who was greatly respected by the British Government, desired an exemplary education for his son. He was intent on his son experiencing a British Education, which was viewed as incredibly sophisticated - almost a status symbol among the colonised citizens. And so he arranged for Liaquat to study law and political science at the famous Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (now Aligarh Muslim University). He graduated with a BSc in Political science and LLB in 1918. Ali Khan then went on to enrol at Oxford University, where he was awarded the Master of Law - here his interest in politics became profound. He was an active member of the Oxford Union and debated with the Oxford Majlis, of which he was elected treasurer, before he went to London to the Inner Temple and was called to the Bar in January 1922. His European escapades soon came to an end and he returned to India in 1922, as a refined, well-read, and revered gentleman.

Upon his return to India, Ali Khan became active in national politics and rose to prominence in the All India Muslim League, under the leadership of fellow lawyer Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Superbly skilled in the art of oracy, Ali Khan frequently spoke about the perpetual problems faced by the Muslim communities and ardently advocated for the eradication of ill-treatment administrated out to the Indian Muslims by the British government.

Starting his parliamentary career from the U. P. Legislative Assembly in 1926 as an independent candidate, later Ali Khan formed his own party: The Democratic Party. It was established within the Legislative Assembly and he was elected as its leader. He remained a member of the U. P. Legislative Council till 1940 when he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly. In his parliamentary career, Liaquat Ali Khan cemented his reputation as an honest, principled and articulate spokesman who never compromised on his principles even in the face of severe odds. He utilised his potent influence to dissolve an abundance of communal tension and bitterness. He took an active part in legislative affairs and was one of the most significant members of the Muslim League delegation.

Moreover, Ali Khan’s political philosophy strongly emphasised the significance of unity between Hindu-Muslim communities and worked tirelessly for that cause. At a conference in 1932 he expressed that 'days of rapid communalism, in this British India are numbered,’ he then went on to refer to the relationship as 'united Hindu-Muslim India anxious to persevere and maintain all that rich and valuable heritage which the contact of two great cultures bequeathed.’ He often spoke of integration and safeguarding the sanctity of these two sides- yet geographical segregation between the two sects was inevitable and a practical solution was needed. In 1940, Ali Khan assisted Jinnah in campaigning for the creation of a separate state for Indian Muslims. His influential role led the British Indian Empire to disintegrate into the modern-day state of India and Pakistan. The two self-governing independent Dominions of Pakistan and India were established on 14th August 1947 and 15th August 1947 respectively.

Upon the partition of India in 1947, Pakistan, as an independent nation came into existence and Mohammed Ali Jinnah (famously known as Quaid-e-Azam) was deemed the father of this emerging nation. Liaquat Ali Khan was one of the very few who enjoyed the full confidence of Jinnah and over the course of the Pakistan movement, the two became incredibly close. Consequently, Ali Khan was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Pakistan with the confidence of Jinnah. He assumed this office during a highly pivotal and tumultuous time despite which he fuelled optimum efforts into bringing about positive social, infrastructural and political changes in Pakistan.

Jinnah sadly passed away on 11 September 1948, and it was Ali Khan who guided the Pakistani Nation in crucial moments after the demise of the Quaid. He was a valiant leader who knew how to lead Pakistan in various directions and he knew how to keep morale high.

Trusted with the responsibility of instating parliamentary democracy in the country, Ali Khan dealt with internal political unrest in the nation and historians find that his influence grew even further after the death of Jinnah. His government dealt with immediate challenges and negotiated through continuous regional conflicts with India, leading Ali Khan to approach his counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru to reach a settlement to end the religious violence, these issues ended up being referred to the United Nations. Ali Khan was known to advocate the utilisation of diplomatic resolutions rather than violence. This is easier said than done and eventually India and Pakistan went to war over the Kashmir dispute. However, in 1949, The Karachi Agreement was signed by the military representatives of the two countries, supervised by the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan. This established a cease-fire line in Kashmir following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. This has been monitored by United Nations observers to this day.

Unfortunately, the life of this incredibly brave man ended sinisterly. In the midst of addressing a public congregation in Rawalpindi on 16 October 1951, he was assassinated. This heinous crime is enveloped in mystery as the motive of the killer has not been discovered to this day. Nevertheless, there is no doubt of the fact that Ali Khan was an incredible leader and was exactly what this young nation needed to stabilise its political and social climate.

After his death, Liaquat Ali Khan is popularly given the titles of Quaid-e-Millat (Leader of the Nation), and posthumously Shaheed-e-Millat (Martyr of the Nation). His role and contribution in the Movement of Pakistan as the ‘right hand’ of Jinnah as the Quaid himself termed him, will not be forgotten. His last words were reported to have been ‘May God protect Pakistan.’