Zubair Qureshi
Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was a visionary leader and laid down strong foundations of economy and foreign policy of the newborn country that helped the country a great deal in meeting financial challenges and opting for a balanced foreign policy in the coming years.
These views were shared by the participants of the Nazriya Pakistan Council’s (NPC) monthly thinkers “Nukta-e-Nazar” at the Aiwan-e-Quaid.
Being the most trusted lieutenant Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan had a great commitment for Pakistan and Movement for Pakistan and knew very well how to implement his vision and policies, they said. His assassination was a national loss and the mysterious way he was shot at and killed in Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi is still a mystery that needs to be resolved, they said.
Noted intellectual and poet Ali Akbar Abbas while speaking high of the Shaheed-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan regretted that after assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan on Oct 16, 1951, the successive governments could not keep that tempo and gradually lost whatever was achieved by PM Liaquat Ali Khan and his government.
Ali Akbar Abbas praised the NPC for holding discussions and roundtables on subjects of important national importance.
Chief guest on the occasion, eminent writer, Afshan Abbasi also paid glowing tributes to Liaquat Ali Khan and held him in high esteem for ‘exposing conspiracies of the British and the Congress party against establishment of a separate state of Pakistan.”
It was not easy to outsmart the English and the Congress party leaders who were against the very idea of Pakistan but Liaquat Ali Khan not only outclassed them in every move they took but also realized the dream of Pakistan envisioned by Allama Mohammad Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders of the Movement for Pakistan.
Farkhanda Shamim, Arshad Chahal, Wafa Chishti also expressed their views on the occasion. They said usually politicians make huge fortunes but Liaquat Ali Khan was one of very few men of conscience who devoted and donated whatever he had for the sake of the new-born state for the Muslims of India.
Liaquat Ali Khan was a baron and had lands and properties in Karnal (a district in Eastern Punjab on the Indian side) they said adding he could have kept his estate well under his possession had he continued to live in his ancestral city, however, he decided for Pakistan and left everything behind.
Poet Athar Zia presented a poetic tribute to Liaquat Ali Khan on the occasion while Pir Attique Chishti led Dua for the blessing of the departed soul. Director Media of the NPC Anjum Khalique conducted the proceedings.
