Abdul Qayyum Khan
Encyclopedia
Abdul Qayyum Khan was a major figure in Pakistan
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) after East Pakistan
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
, Peshawar
.
Abdul Qayyum Khan (16 July 1901 – 22 October 1981) was a major figure in Pakistan
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) after East Pakistan
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
, Peshawar
.
Abdul Qayyum Khan (16 July 1901 – 22 October 1981) was a major figure in Pakistan
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) after East Pakistan
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
, Peshawar
.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
Early life
His father Khan Abdul Hakim was a TehsildarTehsildar
A tehsildar is a revenue administrative officer in Pakistan and India in charge of obtaining taxation from a tehsil. The term is of imperial Mughal origin made of "tahsil", an Islamic administrative derived from Arabic, meaning "revenue generating; collection" and "dar", Persian for "holder of a...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
Political career
Formerly a member of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Afghan, Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule in India...
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
University of Peshawar
The University of Peshawar is a public sector university in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. The university was established in October 1950 by Mr...
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province....
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
Babra Sharif massacre
The Babrra massacre occurred in 1948 in the Charsadda District of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, when unarmed workers of the Khudai Khidmatgar movements were fired upon by the provincial government on the orders of the then Chief Minister Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.- Bacha Khan's speech...
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
Yusuf Khattak
Muhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP) after East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
Khan Habibullah Khan
Habibullah Khan Marwat was a politician and former Peshawar High Court judge. In 1937, Habibullah Khan joined the Khaksar movement and worked in the North West Frontier Province...
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
Islamia College (Peshawar)
Islamia College is a renowned educational institution located in the city of Peshawar in the Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province of Pakistan. It was founded in October 1913 by regional leader Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum and then Chief Commissioner of the province Sir George Roos-Keppel in an effort...
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
Further reading
- Hassan, Syed Minhaj-ul. NWFP Administration under Abdul Qaiyum Khan, 1947-53.
- Qaiyum, Abdul, Gold and Guns on the Pathan Frontier, Bombay, 1945
See also
- Sardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid Khan was a senior police officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and cabinet minister in Pakistan.Born in Dera Ismail Khan, Sardar Rashid was educated at Islamia College Peshawar...
- Yusuf KhattakYusuf KhattakMuhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...
Abdul Qayyum Khan (16 July 1901 – 22 October 1981) was a major figure in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
Early life
His father Khan Abdul Hakim was a TehsildarTehsildar
A tehsildar is a revenue administrative officer in Pakistan and India in charge of obtaining taxation from a tehsil. The term is of imperial Mughal origin made of "tahsil", an Islamic administrative derived from Arabic, meaning "revenue generating; collection" and "dar", Persian for "holder of a...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
Political career
Formerly a member of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Afghan, Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule in India...
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
University of Peshawar
The University of Peshawar is a public sector university in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. The university was established in October 1950 by Mr...
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province....
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
Babra Sharif massacre
The Babrra massacre occurred in 1948 in the Charsadda District of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, when unarmed workers of the Khudai Khidmatgar movements were fired upon by the provincial government on the orders of the then Chief Minister Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.- Bacha Khan's speech...
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
Yusuf Khattak
Muhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP) after East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
Khan Habibullah Khan
Habibullah Khan Marwat was a politician and former Peshawar High Court judge. In 1937, Habibullah Khan joined the Khaksar movement and worked in the North West Frontier Province...
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
Islamia College (Peshawar)
Islamia College is a renowned educational institution located in the city of Peshawar in the Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province of Pakistan. It was founded in October 1913 by regional leader Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum and then Chief Commissioner of the province Sir George Roos-Keppel in an effort...
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
Further reading
- Hassan, Syed Minhaj-ul. NWFP Administration under Abdul Qaiyum Khan, 1947-53.
- Qaiyum, Abdul, Gold and Guns on the Pathan Frontier, Bombay, 1945
See also
- Sardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid Khan was a senior police officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and cabinet minister in Pakistan.Born in Dera Ismail Khan, Sardar Rashid was educated at Islamia College Peshawar...
- Yusuf KhattakYusuf KhattakMuhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...
Abdul Qayyum Khan (16 July 1901 – 22 October 1981) was a major figure in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
politics, in particular in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where he served as deputy speaker, Chief Minister and Minister in the Central Government and as Federal Interior Minister.
Early life
His father Khan Abdul Hakim was a TehsildarTehsildar
A tehsildar is a revenue administrative officer in Pakistan and India in charge of obtaining taxation from a tehsil. The term is of imperial Mughal origin made of "tahsil", an Islamic administrative derived from Arabic, meaning "revenue generating; collection" and "dar", Persian for "holder of a...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qayyum Khan, a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
by profession, was of Kashmiri origin.One of his
brother Abdul Hamid khan was the prime minister of POK Jammu and Kashmir.Abdul Qayum Khan was one of the eminent lawyer of N.W.F.P.He during his professional career conducted some very important cases. He used to practice in criminal law. Mirza shamul Haq was his most trust worthy person.Who remained always closer to him during profession and politics.Abdul Qayum was assisted in his chambers by Muhammad Nazirullah Khan advocate.Who later served as a provincial Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League.
Political career
Formerly a member of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
(1937-38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He was an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Afghan, Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule in India...
, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid 1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University
University of Peshawar
The University of Peshawar is a public sector university in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. The university was established in October 1950 by Mr...
, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province....
movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre
Babra Sharif massacre
The Babrra massacre occurred in 1948 in the Charsadda District of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, when unarmed workers of the Khudai Khidmatgar movements were fired upon by the provincial government on the orders of the then Chief Minister Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.- Bacha Khan's speech...
is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak
Yusuf Khattak
Muhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...
.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP) after East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan
Khan Habibullah Khan
Habibullah Khan Marwat was a politician and former Peshawar High Court judge. In 1937, Habibullah Khan joined the Khaksar movement and worked in the North West Frontier Province...
; they were life-long rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College
Islamia College (Peshawar)
Islamia College is a renowned educational institution located in the city of Peshawar in the Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province of Pakistan. It was founded in October 1913 by regional leader Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum and then Chief Commissioner of the province Sir George Roos-Keppel in an effort...
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
Further reading
- Hassan, Syed Minhaj-ul. NWFP Administration under Abdul Qaiyum Khan, 1947-53.
- Qaiyum, Abdul, Gold and Guns on the Pathan Frontier, Bombay, 1945
See also
- Sardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid KhanSardar Abdur Rashid Khan was a senior police officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and cabinet minister in Pakistan.Born in Dera Ismail Khan, Sardar Rashid was educated at Islamia College Peshawar...
- Yusuf KhattakYusuf KhattakMuhamad Yusuf Khan Khattak was a Pakistan movement activist. A scion of one of the most influential families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he was a son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, and brother to former Governor Aslam Khattak, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan and Kulsom Saifullah Khan, Yusuf Khattak was a...