Liaquat Ali Khan

Liaquat Ali Khan

Liaquat Ali Khan became the First Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1947. He was a member of the Muslim league and was Jinnah’s right hand man. Liaquat assisted Jinnah in campaigning for the creation of a separate state for Indian Muslims and in 1947 the British raj was divided into modern day Indian and Pakistan. After independence, India and Pakistan came into conflict over Kashmir. During his tenure, India and Pakistan agreed to resolve the dispute of Kashmir in a peaceful manner through the efforts of the United Nations. According to this agreement a ceasefire was put in effect in Kashmir on January 1, 1949. It was decided that a free and impartial plebiscite would be held under the supervision of the UN.

After Jinnah’s death, the problem of religious minorities increased during late 1949 and early 1950 and there were many brutal killings by the majority community in both nations. It was feared that India and Pakistan were about to fight their second war in the first three years of their independence. At this time, Khan met Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and signed the Liaquat-Nehru Pact in 1950. Its aim was to alleviate the fears of religious minorities on both sides, elevate communal peace and create an atmosphere in which the two countries could resolve their other differences.

In May 1950 Liaquat also visited the United States after being convinced to snap ties with the Soviet Union, setting the course of Pakistan’s foreign policy towards closer ties with the West. This was met with adverse criticism as it was considered a rebuff to Moscow. This had negative consequences which have been traced to Soviet help to India, most prominently in the 1971 war that lead to the separation of Bangladesh.

Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated on 16 October, 1951 by Said Akbar who was an Afghan national.