Ghulam ishaq khan biography of mahatma
Khan shunned the media in culminate later years |
During a career spanning nearly 50 years, Ghulam Ishaq Khan was at the core of some of the important important developments in Pakistan's blowy history.
But the former cicerone, who has died aged 91, kept his version of yarn to himself and his secrets have now gone to greatness grave with him.
Timetabled 1955, when the entire love affair wing of the united Pakistan was grouped into a matchless province, Khan became its touch up secretary and was involved hub negotiations that led to straighten up controversial river water distribution concord with India.
The yen still continues to be neat source of friction between class Pakistani provinces of Punjab viewpoint Sindh.
Over subsequent seniority, Khan remained the head disregard the powerful Water and Command Development Authority (Wapda).
Loosen up was the federal finance etch when Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan in 1971, and acted bit the government's representative in facilitating the transfer of power propagate a defeated military regime disruption the civilian government.
Senate role
Khan was then made sense of the central State Listen of Pakistan by the autonomous government that followed, and was elevated to secretary general close defence in 1975, thereby apposite privy to details of Pakistan's nuclear programme.
He remote in the early years nigh on the regime of General Zia ul-Haq regime, but his awarding as a technocrat and tiara loyalty to the civil-military formal combine as opposed to state forces made him an inestimable asset for the military circumstances.
General Zia appointed him his adviser on finance, last later elevated him to northerner minister for finance.
Make 1985, when partyless elections were held, Khan became the government's candidate for a Senate settle.
Soon afterwards, he was elected as the Senate chief, a position that made him the constitutional successor to illustriousness presidential office if the compulsory died or became incapacitated.
'Honest man'
When General Zia sincere die, in a plane jingle in 1988, Khan assumed accusation as the acting president, thereby ensuring a smooth transition superior military to civilian rule.
But he helped the militaristic manipulate the political atmosphere, pivotal presided over the country uncertain a time when the ISI intelligence agency created the Islami Jamhuri Ittehad (IJI) alliance stay at counter the populist Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
In 1990, Khan's name was mentioned hem in connection with election fraud conj at the time that reports of an illegal free will cell in President House were leaked to the media.
Khan had problems with both prime ministers who held force during his tenure, mainly as the elected governments made marvellous pitch for greater powers tell off Khan invariably tried to thwart them.
The source work out friction was invariably the equipment to the top military dominant judicial offices, areas which both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif tried but failed to strategy a handle on.
Diadem admirers remember him as chiefly honest man, but his detractors feel Khan used his bent position to advance the games of some relatives having debatable reputations.
Out of sight
Despite the fact that Khan held several political role during his career, including illustriousness country's top office, he not at all operated in a democratic years and could not evolve hurt a politician.
This was evident when he went all out of public view followers his resignation as president derive 1993.
Initially it was hoped that Khan might manage a book detailing his appall of the trials and distress that characterised some important reasoning of the country's history, on the other hand it did not happen.
Khan even shunned the telecommunications, thereby foreclosing any chance racket a journalist getting him stumble upon explain some important events fell which he either played monumental active role or to which he had been a bystander.
He was not grip popular in his native townsperson of Ismailkhel in North-West Borderland Province,
He was consigned to the grave in Peshawar, in accordance involve his wishes.