61 years later: 'Those who assassinated Liaquat Ali Khan killed democracy'

Liaquat Ali Khan was serving as the first prime minister of Pakistan when he was assassinated on October 16, 1951.


October 16, 2012
61 years later: 'Those who assassinated Liaquat Ali Khan killed democracy'

It was 61 years ago today that one of Pakistan’s founding fathers was assassinated. Liaquat Ali Khan was not just a founding father, but was also serving as Pakistan’s first prime minister, defence minister and minister of Commonwealth and Kashmir affairs when he was shot on October 16, 1951.

Mohammad Saeed Siddiqui, one of Khan’s close associates, fondly recalls the man and his contributions.

Siddiqui had met Khan as a student at Aligarh College and was enamored by his enigmatic personality and the art of public speaking.

“Quaid-e-Azam had discovered a gem for the nation in the form of Liaquat Ali Khan,” he said.

Despite being a nawab, Khan led an extremely simple life and silently embraced all responsibilities assigned to him during partition. Once the new homeland was formed, the leaders barely had tin roofs over their heads or stationery to work with, but that did not dampen their passion for their new homeland.

After he was appointed the prime minister, Khan managed to lift the new economy and presented three consecutive budgets.

“When Radio Pakistan announced Liaquat Ali Khan’s death, the words of his speech rang through my ears,” said Siddiqui. In his speech Khan had stated that he had no wealth or property, but he would lay down his life to safe guard the country. And he stayed true to his words.

“After Khan’s death, chaos ensued and there was a state of anarchy in the country that persists till present date,” Siddiqui stated.

In his book “Servants of God”, Chaudhary Zafrullah declared that whoever pushed the trigger of the gun that killed Liaquat Ali Khan is also responsible for killing democracy.

COMMENTS (12)

Ali | 11 years ago | Reply

@ Mr arsalan & Arijit sharma

Pakistan was created in the name of islam . A seperate homeland for the muslims of the subcontinent. Pakistan ka mutlab kia " La ilaha il allah muhammad ur rasool allah ". There was no use of creating pakistan if it had to be a secular state. There is nothing wrong in being an islamist supremacist. Islam is supreme and a complete way of life, the final word of GOD whether someone likes it or not.

Justin Truthful | 12 years ago | Reply

Jinnah almost gave up on the idea of Pakistan in the 1930's. It was Liaquat who went to London, at the behest of Allama Iqbal, to persuade Jinnah to come back and lead the movement for Pakistan's independence. He could have had the top slot for himself had Liaquat wished so but he saw Jinnah as being more charismatic and more able to lead. Therefore, selflessly, he served the cause in which he believed. Khudnomaee to naheen sheway e arbab e wafa. Liaquat remains quite an unsung hero of Pakistan's movement of independence. After his assassination, democracy never recovered from the harm that was caused to it by the murder of the selfless leader. The nation is so thankless of his services, that no significant authoritative biographies have been dedicatedly undertaken to educate the posterity.

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