Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar

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Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar

Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (Urdu: ابراہیم اسماعیل چندریگر) (commonly known as I. I. Chundrigar) was Prime Minister of Pakistan for approximately 2 months from October 17, 1957 to December 16, 1957.

Chundrigar was born in 1897, and educated at Bombay University. He first came to prominence in 1946, when Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, was asked to nominate several members of Muslim League for the interim government of India under the transfer of power from British rule to independece.

Chundrigar was appointed Minister for Trade and Commerce in the first cabinet of independent Pakistan in 1947. He later served as ambassador to Afghanistan, governor of the North West Frontier Province, governor of West Punjab, and Minister for Law.

After merely a year, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy resigned from his Premiership in October 1957. His resignation came as a result of the President's refusal to convene a meeting of the Parliament to seek a vote of confidence. President Iskander Mirza appointed I. I. Chundrigar as the interim Prime Minister. Being a nominated Prime Minister, Chundrigar held a weak position from the very beginning. He headed a coalition government including the Krishak Sramik Party, Nizam-i-Islam Party, the Muslim League and the Republican Party. The Muslim League had agreed to form a coalition government with the Republican Party on the condition that by amending the Electoral Act, the principle of separate electorate would be implemented in the country. After the formation of the Cabinet, Ministers from East Pakistan and the Republican Party started opposing the proposed amendments. The Republican Party opposed the amendment as it wanted to gain advantage over its political opponent, the Muslim League.

Chundrigar standing behind Vice President of USA Richard Nixon who is shaking hands with the President of Pakistan Iskander Mirza

Iskander Mirza exploited the differences between the parties and thus made Chundrigar an easy victim as he remained Prime Minister for only two months and therefore could not give any practical shape to his program.

[edit] See also

Karachi's main business street, I I Chundrigar Road, has been named after him.

[edit] External links

• I. I. Chundrigar
• Chronicles Of Pakistan