Omar Asghar Khan

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Omar Asghar Khan
Born July 3, 1953
Died June 25, 2002
Karachi, Pakistan
Nationality ‎ Pakistan
Fields Politics, Social Activism, Economics
Institutions Government of Pakistan- Federal Minister for Environment, Local Government & Rural Development, Labor, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis (1999-2001)

University of the Punjab (1980-1983)

Pakistan Army (1971-1973)
Alma mater University of Cambridge (M.Phil.)
Known for Social Activism


Omar Asghar Khan (July 3, 1953 - June 25, 2002) was a Pakistani social activist, economist and politician.

The son of Air Marshal (retd) Mohd Asghar Khan, Omar belonged to an Afridi/Pashtun family from Tirah which settled in Kashmir. His grandfather Brig. Rahmatullah Khan was a member of the Kashmir Army, and was accorded with the title of "Thakur" by the Maharaja of Kashmir while in service. Shaikh Abdullah was known to have offered him a ministerial position, but the family left behind their "jagir" and moved to Abbottabad during the Indo-Pak partition. It was in Kashmir that Omar's uncle and Asghar Khan's brother, Brig Aslam Khan saved a group of foreign priests from being slaughtered and brought them to Abbottabad, where they went on to establish the Burn Hall School.

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[edit] Education, Career in Academia and Pakistan Army

Omar joined the Pakistan Army in 1971 and left it at the rank of a captain in 1973 because of the military action in Boluchistan by Bhutto. He then gained a bachelors in Economics from the University of Essex and then an M-Phil in Economics from Cambridge University, United Kingdom and returned to Pakistan in 1979. From 1980-83 he taught economics at the University of the Punjab, in Lahore. According to Sungi, “Omar's popular efforts to promote progressive political thought among students instigated a physical attack on him by the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. In 1983 General Zia-ul-Haq's repressive regime ordered Omar's dismissal from the Punjab University.”

[edit] Political Activism

After his dismissal from the university Omar joined his father, retired Air Marshal Asghar Khan’s political party, the Tehreek-I-Istiqlal. In 1988 and 1990 he lost the national elections. Omar established/conceptualized many social organizations in the country:

  • In 1982 established the Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research.
  • In 1987 established Socio-Economic and Business Consultants (SEBCON).
  • In 1989 established Sungi Development Foundation.
  • In 1998 conceptualized and initiated the People’s Assemblies Process.

According to Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy "He, (Omar) and the organization he founded, Sungi, stood up resolutely to hostile maulvis opposed to education of girls and against the timber mafia in Hazara. As a member of Pervez Musharraf’s cabinet, he was a voice for the poor and disenfranchised. Omar’s achievements were extraordinary in a society so hostile to change and forward movement. He succeeded far better than most, with his unique mix of idealism and pragmatism. Many of us have our own reasons for being grateful to Omar. He was an open, caring, and courteous person who I had never seen being rude to anyone. I am deeply grateful to Omar that he encouraged me to speak and write about General Zia’s fraudulent Islamic science at the peak of that repressive dictatorship."

Among the major tasks he carried out as the head of Sungi were the fight for the settlement of the affected people of Tarbela Dam. He did a commendable job to stop deforestation in the Hazara division (hence making an enemy of the timber mafia), prepared different studies for the most deprived sections of the society, specially women, labourers and farmers.

The target areas of the NGO in the Hazara division were Haripur, Balakot, Kaghan and other far-flung areas, where, on the partnership basis, he developed a chain of small NGOs, working in different villages of Hazara. Sungi was awarded the 1996 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific Award for its exemplary work in the field of human resource development.

[edit] Work as Federal Minister under General Musharraf's Interim Government

His works benefited him when Omar joined General Pervaz Musharraf’s cabinet as Federal Minister for Environment, Local Government & Rural Development, Labor, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis after a bloodless coup in November 1999. According to some circles, the local bodies plan was the brainchild of Omar Asghar Khan, who as minister, did the spadework. In his earlier days, he was very close to labour leaders and organizations. His policies in the environmental field would go a long way in protecting our environment.

In December 2001 he resigned from the cabinet and launched a new political party the Qaumi Jamhoori Party to contest the general elections, But died before the elections under mysterious circumstances on June 25, 2002.

[edit] Death

Omar's sudden death at the age of 48 (just a week before his 49th birthday) caused severe shock and devastation amongst his followers. His body was flown from Karachi where he passed away, to Islamabad, and then taken to Abbottabad, there he was buried at his family graveyard. His funeral in Abbottabad, witnessed an unprecedented number of attendees for that town. It was thronged not just by his large family, countless friends, NGO workers, and political leaders, but also by thousands of adoring men and women from poor villages scattered all over the North West Frontier Province, particularly in the Hazara region where Omar had done a lot of development work.

He is survived by a widow and three children. Omar's widow Samina now heads Sungi where she helped set up the crafts program while Omar was still alive. His eldest child, Yasmeen works in the media. She is followed by Abdullah, who is studying architecture. The youngest son, Mustafa, is at Cambridge University. Air Marshal Asghar Khan remains the head of their family, and his and Begum Amina Asghar Khan's home in Islamabad remains the home of Omar's widow and children.

Omar often recited the touching poetry of Faiz Ahmad Faiz's "Hum Dekhain Gay", and this became a regular feature of his political "jalsas" and meetings.

[edit] External links