Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman (Urdu: چودھری خلیق الزمان) (25 December 1889 – 1973) was a Pakistani politician and a very important Muslim figure during British India.[1] He was one of the top leaders of the All India Muslim League.[1]
Early life and career
He was born in Chunar, an ancient town in UP's Mirzapur district in the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). At the time, his father, Chaudhry Muhammad Zaman, was a naib tehsildar (revenue officer) there. His younger brother, Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (1897 – 1994) was an eminent scientist and researcher in both British India and later in Pakistan.[2]
Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman himself was not only a prominent Muslim League leader but also one of the founding fathers of Pakistan.[2] At the time of independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, he was still serving as the Muslim League Member of the Constituent Assembly of India and stayed behind to address that Indian Assembly.[1] He was one of the four individuals who addressed the Constituent Assembly of India in the central hall of Parliament during the moment of Indian independence at midnight of August 14, 1947.[3] The other three were Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Radhakrishnan.[3] He then migrated to newly-created Pakistan in November 1947 and was appointed the Chief Organizer of Muslim League (Pakistan). Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman succeeded Muhammad Ali Jinnah as president of the Muslim League (Pakistan) in 1948.[1]
Career positions in Pakistan
- President of Muslim League (Pakistan) (1948 – 1950)
- Governor of East Pakistan (April 1953 – May 1954)[1]
- Ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia and the Philippines (1954)[1]
In 1961, he published his memoirs entitled Pathway to Pakistan. The Urdu version of the autobiography came out in 1967. It is entitled Shahrahay Pakistan. This book is considered by many as a rare 'treasure house' of information on the Pakistan Movement. He was one of the most active leaders of Pakistan Movement and vigorously seconded the Lahore Resolution in March 1940 to create Pakistan.[1]
Commemorative postage stamp
In 1990, Pakistan Post office issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honour in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' series.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Profile of Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman". Cybercity-online.net. 2001. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ^ a b Dr Ahmed S. Khan (15 August 2010). "Homage: Our own Einstein (Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman's younger brother Salimuzzaman Siddiqui)". Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ^ a b Robert Trumbull (15 August 1947). "India and Pakistan Become Nations; Clashes Continue". The New York Times (newspaper). Retrieved 14 January 2018.
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