Farooq Leghari

Farooq Leghari
Farooq Leghari (1940-2010)
8th President of Pakistan
In office November 14, 1993 – December 2, 1997
Prime Minister	Benazir Bhutto Navaz Sharif Malik Mirage (Interim)
Preceded by	Ghulam Ishaq Khan (succeeded) Wasim Sajjad (Interim)
Succeeded by	Wasim Sajjad (interim) Rafiq Tarar (predecessor)
Personal details
Born	Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari 20 October 2010(2010-10-20) (aged 70) Choti Zareen, British Balochistan, British Indian Empire
Died	20 October 2010(2010-10-20) (aged 70) Rawalpindi Punjab Province, Pakistan
Citizenship	British Subject (1940-1947) Pakistan (1947-2010)
Nationality	Baloch
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party (1967-2004)
Other political affiliations	Pakistan Muslim League-Q (2004–2010)
Children	Jamal Leghari (son) Faryal Leghari (daughter)
Alma mater	Christian College University Oxford University
Occupation	economist
Profession	public servant
Cabinet	Bainazir Bhuttoo Government
Religion	Islam
Website	Presidential library

Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari English IPA: fɑrukʰ æɦmæd ləɡhərɪ̈ (Balochi, Punjabi, Urdu: سردار فاروق احمد خان لغاری; May 29, 1940 – October 20, 2010), was eighth President of Pakistan, serving from November 14, 1993 until his resignation on December 2, 1997.

His political philosophy reflected the democratic socialism, Leghari was the first president from the Baloch-speaking class from the Balochistan Province of Pakistan, and was also a senior member of the Pakistan Peoples Party until 2004 when his political differences arise with Benazir Bhutto, forcing him to ally with the centre-right conservative Pakistan Muslim League. Educated at the Forman Christian College University in Punjab Province of Pakistan, and the Oxford University in England, United Kingdom, Leghari started his government career through the civil bureaucracy, taking a bureaucratic assignment in East-Pakistan in 1960s until 1970. Generally an apolitical, Leghari joined the democratic socialist Pakistan Peoples Party led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1970s and was finally named as the presidential candidate by Benazir Bhutto due to his apolitical vision and was merely a constitutional and ceremonial figurehead in the Benazir's government; whilst Benazir exercised her authority while running her government. In 1996, Leghari surprisingly dismissed his leader's government after being convinced Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari's involvement in Murtaza Bhutto's death, as well as an economic default was reached at that time.

After dismissing, his political ideology clashes with conservative prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and his intervention to support to Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah's matter finally led the resignation of his presidency after being forced by the conservatives and persuaded by the Pakistan Armed Forces in 1997. His relations with Benazir Bhutto were contentions leading him to join the Pakistan Pakistan Muslim League in May 2004, despite an ideological difference. During this period, Leghari remains inactive from national politics and in Rawalpindi's Combined Military Hospital due to a long related heart illness on October 20, 2010.

Early life

Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari was born in Choti Zareen, a village of Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab on May 29, 1940 during the British Raj and died on October 20, 2010 due to a cardiac arrest. He was born into a political family that has been active in politics in that part of the world since the pre-colonial days. His father Muhammad Khan Leghari and grandfather Nawab Muhmammad Jamal Khan Leghari had both been ministers in the Government. Leghari was the major landowner in the area and owned approximately 2,500 acres (10 km²) of land. After the death of Farooq Khan Leghari his son Jamal Khan Leghari became the 23rd Chief of Leghari tribe.

Education

After his initial schooling at Aitchison College, Lahore (where he was the Head Boy and was declared the Best Leaving Student of 1957) Leghari graduated with honours from the famous institute of Forman Christian College University, Lahore, Punjab (Pakistan) where again he was among the best students. From there he went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University, Great Britain.

After returning to Pakistan he joined the Civil Service and served for some time in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). On the death of his father he resigned from the service and came back from East Pakistan to look after the affairs of his tribe. He was the head (Tumandar) of the Leghari tribe.

Pakistan Peoples Party

He joined the Pakistan Peoples Party, and was made leader of the party upon the imprisonment of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. He was put under house-arrest several times during the military regime of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

President of Pakistan

In 1993, with the express support of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Leghari ran for the office of President and won the election against Wasim Sajjad. In November 1996, utilizing his powers under Article 58 2(b) of the Constitution of Pakistan, he dismissed the Peoples' Party Government of Benazir Bhutto on charges of corruption, lawlessness and extra judicial killings.

Following the word of the Constitution of Pakistan he held elections for the National Assembly in 1997. The elections were won by the Pakistan Muslim League and Nawaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister. A decisive majority in the lower house of parliament led the Sharif Government to remove the controversial 8th amendment from the constitution of Pakistan. Farooq Leghari resigned due to differences with the next Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif and so was unable to complete his 5-year term as President of Pakistan.

Formation of Millat Party and coalition with PML-Q

Instead of retiring from politics, Leghari went on to create his own political party, the Millat Party, which entered into a coalition of seven parties, known as the National Alliance, to participate in the general elections of 2002. The National Alliance, emerged as the 3rd largest group in the parliament and won 13 seats in the National Assembly. He entered in a coalition with the majority party to form the government. Thereafter his son Awais Leghari was made a federal minister for Telecom and IT and another of his deputies Yar Mohammad Rind was also made a member in the Federal cabinet. Later Mohammad Ali Durrani and his niece Sumaira Malik from his party were also inducted into the Federal Cabinet.

Part of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q)

With National Alliance being merged with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) in May 2004 to form united Pakistan Muslim League, Farooq Leghari also became the member of the newly constituted party, with his son Awais Leghari being one of its senior vice presidents.

His elder son Jamal Leghari has recently been elected to the Senate of Pakistan. His daughter Faryal Leghari is an analyst and researcher in Security & Terrorism Studies at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai.

Death

Leghari died on October 20, 2010 in Rawalpindi due to a heart related illness. He was undergoing surgery at the Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi at the time of his death. Initial reports claimed that he was ill for sometime, owing to complications with his heart.

See also

• Establishment (Pakistan)

External links

• http://www.jinnahsequaid.com/7983/former-president-farooq-laghari-passes-away/
• US Department of State----Pakistan Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1996 under Leghari/Benazir Government

Political offices
Preceded by Abdul Sattar	Minister of Foreign Affairs 1993	Succeeded by Aseff Ahmad Ali
Preceded by Wasim Sajjad Acting	President of Pakistan 1993–1997	Succeeded by Wasim Sajjad Acting