Sardar Amir Azam Khan
Encyclopedia
Sardar Amir Azam was a 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...

i politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...

. Azam was a cabinet minister during the 1950s and was the pioneer of low cost housing in Pakistan. He initially emerged in 1951 as an M.C.A. (Member of Constitutional Assembly) in the very first Pakistani Government headed by Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...

, and later re-emerged as a minister in succeeding administrations.

Sardar Amir Azam

Sardar Amir Azam was a Pakistani politician and entrepreneur. Sardar Amir Azam was a famous cabinet minister during the 1950s and was a pioneer of low-cost housing in Pakistan; (born October 1912, died 1976)He was buried at Garhi Afghanan,near Taxila,his ancestral graveyard.

Early life and background

Sardar Amir Azam was born in Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...

 in Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...

 Province during British rule
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

 in 1912 and was the eldest son of Sardar Muhammad Akram, a Superintendent of Police] who had been born in the North-Western Provinces
North-Western Provinces
The North-Western Provinces was an administrative region in British India which succeeded the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and existed in one form or another from 1836 until 1902, when it became the Agra Province within the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh .-Area:The province included all...

 (now Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 Province, India) and a former student of M.A.O. College, now known as Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...

. His ancestors were Ghilzai
Ghilzai
Ghilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...

 people belonging to the tribal Afghan border state of Bajour, presently located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...

 of Pakistan (FATA). They spread from North-West Frontier Province
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...

 to Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 and Punjab more than 100 years ago before the creation of Pakistan. His grandfather, Sardar Muhammad Afzal khan, was a Tehsildar
Tehsildar
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...

 of Haripur. His great grandfather, Sardar Amir Muhammad khan was Tehsildar of Attock
Attock
Attock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...

 for Campbellpur. His maternal grandfather Khan Bahadur Muhammad Zaman was an Engineer and Landlord from Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...

 in Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...

.

Education

Sardar Amir Azam received his early education from Campbellpur High School in Attock District
Attock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...

 (previously known as Campbellpur).He did his Matric from Kahota High School along with his cousin Sardar Mohammed Umar khan,their names are engraved at the entrance of their residence,just next to the main gate of the school. After secondary school, he attended Government Intermediate College in Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...

. He lived in Punjab until 1930. He then moved to Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a...

 where his father Sardar Muhammad Akram worked for Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...

 as his manager. Mr. Khan
Khan (name)
Khan is a surname and title of Central Asian origin, primarily found in Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.- Origin :...

 entrusted his father to manage his properties and farms in Uttar Pradesh.

Azam attended the Meerut College
Meerut College
Meerut College is a state-funded college in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. The college is affiliated to Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. The college was established in 1892 and has a campus of...

 and graduated with a Law Degree. He studied further to complete his Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

 in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...

 from Allahabad University
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...

. He also remained a student of Sir Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal for a time.

During his studies, Sardar Amir Azam became associated with Liaquat Ali Khan and his political abilities were discovered. He took part in Political activities during his College years. He became known as a good speaker in college debates.

Amir Azam's family background had very solid religious history. Therefore, while in meerut-UP, he learned Tareeqat (the way of spiritual thoughts) and Quranic Education from Peer-e-Tareeqat Hazrat Soofi Najam-Uddin together with Khan Liaqat Ali Khan.Thus he was also believer of Silsilah-e-Qardi, Chihsti, Suharwardi and Naqshbandi.

Political career

In 1936, Sardar Amir Azam joined the Muslim League as the Secretary for Muzaffarnagar, and soon he was elected a member of the U.P.
United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was a province of India under the British Raj, which existed from 1902 to 1947; the official name was shortened by the Government of India Act 1935 to United Provinces, by which the province had been commonly known, and by which name it was also a province of...

 Muslim League Council. He remained the Secretary of District Muslim League for some time and thus gained experience in administrative organizing functions. He supported Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...

 and the Muslim League in the 1945-46 Central Legislature Elections from the Meerut Constituency of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

. During 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...

 he had the opportunity to work with prominent leaders of the Muslim League.

In 1946, he was admitted to Kingsway Hospital at Kingsway Camp, North Delhi
North Delhi
North Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.North Delhi is bounded by the Yamuna River on the east, and by the districts of North West Delhi to the north and west, West Delhi to the southwest, Central Delhi to the south, and North East Delhi to the...

. But as the hospital was attacked by the extremist, he along with his servant, Noor Muhammad alias Nooru escaped under disguise from pograms and genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...

 in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 and soon after the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...

, Azam and his family moved to Punjab, Pakistan and resided in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...

. He moved to prominence within the city due to his work in trying to solve issues related to services and rehabilitation of Refugees from India. He worked devotedly for their relief and rehabilitation in his district and soon attained became the president of the city Municipal Committee and also the President of Rawalpindi City Muslim League.

After Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah formed the very first Pakistani government headed by Liaquat Ali Khan, Sardar Amir Azam supported the Muslim League from Punjab in 1951 and was nominated MCA by Liaquat Ali Khan to serve in the first Central Government. He further held offices in the Planning Commission, and as Chairman of the Pakistan Standard, a newspaper that was a part of Muslim League.

After the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951, Sardar Amir Azam was made the first Defence Minister of Pakistan during the tenure of Khawaja Nazimuddin
Khawaja Nazimuddin
Hajji Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin, KCIE , was the second Governor-General of Pakistan, and later the second Prime Minister of Pakistan as well.-Early life:...

 in the second Central Government in 1952. He also participated in the Ottawa Commonwealth Conference, and thus made an extensive tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and some European countries on essential government assignments. He was renominated the Minister of State for Defence from 7 December 1953 to 24 October 1954, serving in that position for the 3rd Central Government headed by the Prime Minister, Muhammad Ali Bogra
Muhammad Ali Bogra
Nawabzada Mohammed Ali Bogra was a Pakistani statesman of Bengali origin, who served as the third Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955.-Early life:...

. Simultaneously, he also served as the very first Chairperson of Pakistan International Airways now known as Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...

 

During this period he also worked as the secretary of Election Committee of the Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...

 Muslim League. Azam continued his support for the Muslim League as an organizer in consecutive elections held in Sindh and East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....

 during 1954. From, 24 October 1954 to 11th Au-gust 1955, Sardar Amir Azam was served as Central Minister for Rehabilitation in Muhammad Ali Bogra's cabinet in the 3rd Central Government.
In October 1955, The Republican Party (Pakistan)
Republican Party (Pakistan)
The Pakistani Republican Party was formed in October 1955, by a break away faction of the Muslim League and other politicians supporting the creation of the West Pakistan province, on the instigation of key leaders in the military and civil service....

 was formed by a break away faction of the Muslim League and other politicians supporting the creation of the West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...

 province. Sardar Amir Azam was appointed the leader of the Republican Party (Pakistan) from Gujrat District
Gujrat District
Gujrat is a district of Punjab Province in Pakistan. It is an ancient district located in between two famous rivers, the Jhelum and Chenab. Because of its proximity with the rivers the land is good for cultivation with rice and sugar cane as main crops...

, in Punjab. From 11th -Aug-1955 to 12th -Sept-1956, Sardar Amir Azam was nominated the Minister of State for Refugees & Rehabilitation and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affair simultaneously in the 4th Central Government headed by Prime Minister Muhammad Ali (Chaudhry). Due to his loyalty to
democratic Principles and values, he is also known as one of the drafters of the 1956 Constitution of Pakistan.
which was the main reason for his differences with the oppressors of his own era. From September 12, 1956 till September 5, 1957, Azam was Appointed Minister for Information & Broadcasting in the 5th
Central Government in Pakistan. He also served as the Law Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs simultaneously from December 13, 1956 to September 5, 1957 during the tenure of Prime Minister Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy. From 29 March 1958 to 7 October 1958 Azam was nominated the Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs at the same time in the 7th Central Government headed by the Prime
Minister Malik Feroz Khan Noon. He departed from politics before the proclamation of the 1958 Martial Law in Pakistan, when the country was heading Toward political instability. He declined offers to join the succeeding future Government.

Instead, Azam planned and assisted in the formation of the House Building Finance Corporation of Pakistan with the Finance Minister Muhammad Shoaib
Muhammad Shoaib
Muhammad Shoaib was Finance Minister of Pakistan from November 15, 1958 - June 8, 1962 and December 15, 1962 - March 23, 1965. He was married to Iffatara. Nafis Sadik is the daughter of Muhammad Shoaib.- See also :* Nafis Sadik...

 in 1962 to support the Low-Cost Housing Projects in the country. Since he had been the Rehabilitation & Refugee Minister of Pakistan therefore he was well aware of the refugee Problems in the country. His aim was to provide low priced housing for low-income groups.

He then formed the Al Azam
Al Azam
Al Azam Ltd. was a Pakistani construction company that pioneered low-cost housing for the general public. It was formed during the early 1960s by the former Rehabilitation Minister, Sardar Amir Azam, and his business associate, Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur....

 Construction Company and was the first to introduce Low-Cost Housing in Pakistan in the private sector. Later the Al Azam project proved a milestone for others in Pakistan. He remained engaged in housing and construction work until he died on 19 February 1976, and left a glorious past for the young generation to follow and act upon it.

To honor his services to his country, the University of Karachi presents the "Sardar Amir Azam Khan Gold Medal" each year to the outstanding B.A. students (Hons) in Political Science.

Facts

  1. The only man to hold maximum number of ministries in Pakistan.
  2. First Defence Minister of Pakistan.
  3. The man who named the "Pakistan International Airways" (now Airline).
  4. He is also known as one of the drafters of the 1956 Constitution of Pakistan.
  5. The Founder & first Chairman of Al Azam
    Al Azam
    Al Azam Ltd. was a Pakistani construction company that pioneered low-cost housing for the general public. It was formed during the early 1960s by the former Rehabilitation Minister, Sardar Amir Azam, and his business associate, Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur....

    in Pakistan, that is the Pioneer of low cost housing projects in Karachi,
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