Ghazanfar Ali Khan
Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan Khokhar (16 August 1895 - 1963) was a leading member of the All India Muslim League who was a politician in British India, a trusted lieutenant of Muhammad Ali Jinnah who served in the Interim Government of India of 1946 and later became a minister in the government of Pakistan and finally a diplomat.
Background
Khan was born in Jhelum in the Punjab, British India and educated in Lahore.
Career
British India
Khan was a member of the Imperial Legislative Assembly of British India from 1923 to 1933, serving as Minister of the Princely state of Alwar from 1928, and was then a member of India's Council of State from 1933 to 1937.[1]
An active member of the All India Muslim League, he became a member of its Council and in 1934 was asked to reorganize the League in the Princely states.[1]
From 1937 to 1945 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Punjab, during which time he served as parliamentary secretary of the Government of Punjab's departments of Revenue and Irrigation.[1]
In October 1946, Khan was one of the five men nominated by Jinnah on behalf of the Muslim League to join the Interim Government of India, and he subsequently took the Health portfolio. The other four nominated by the League were Liaquat Ali Khan, I. I. Chundrigar, Abdur Rab Nishtar, and Jogendra Nath Mandal.[1][2]
Pakistan
After the Partition of India, Khan became Pakistan's Minister for Food, Agriculture and Health.[1]
In 1948, he became the first president of the newly formed Pakistan Hockey Federation.
From 1948 to 1957 he took to a new career as a diplomat. He was successively Ambassador to Iran (1948-1952), Ambassador to Turkey (1952-1953), High Commissioner to India (1954-1956) and finally Ambassador to Italy (1956-1957).[1]
Death
Khan died in 1963.[1]
Memorials
In honour of his contribution to Pakistan, a major road in Saddar, Karachi was named after him.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan at humsafar.info
- ↑ The Leader at pakistan.gov.pk
