Ghulam Ishaq Khan was a bureaucrat, politician, and statesman of Pakistan. He also remains the rector of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, known as GIKI. Ishaq Khan remained chairman of the Senate and President of Pakistan. He was the oldest President of Pakistan.
Biography
Ghulam Ishaq was born in a Pashtun family on January 26, 1915. His family belongs to the Pashton of Bungish tribes. He was born in Ismail Khel, Bannu. He died on October 10, 2006 in Peshawar.
His family is still active in politics. His sons-in-law are former ministers, Anwar Saifullah Khan in the federal government and Irfanullah Khan Marwat, minister of Sindh. His granddaughter’s husband, Samar Haroon Bilour, is the son of famous politician Gohar Ayub Khan.
Education and Early Career
Ghulam Ishaq started his early education in his home town of Bannu. Ishaq Khan joined Islamia College. Later, he joined Peshawar University for further studies. He did his first BSc in Chemistry and a second BSc in Botany.
In 1941, Ishaq Khan started his career by joining the Indian Civil Service. On the eve of Pakistan’s Independence in 1947, he had to choose between Pakistan and India, and he selected Pakistan. Khan got an appointment in the bureaucracy of North-West Frontier Province in 1947. He joined the provincial secretariat as the secretary of the irrigation department.
Public Service
Ishaq Khan joined the Sindh government as Home Secretary. After some time, he was moved to the Department of Development and Irrigation as Secretary, again in the Sindh government.
Finally, in 1958, he succeeded in moving to the federal government, again in the irrigation ministry. He was given secretariat control directly by Ayub Khan. Ayub Khan was President at that time.
From 1958 to 1961, Ishaq Khan remained on the Board of Governors of the WAPDA. In 1961, he got the nomination and took charge as Chairman of WAPDA. As chairman, he demonstrated a dynamic performance and successfully constructed the Mangla and Warsak Dam.
After this high achievement, he was appointed Finance Secretary in the Federal government in 1966 and remained in this post till 1970. He left his position voluntarily when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took charge as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Administrator and Governor
In 1971, unfortunately, the war between Pakistan and India created a significant dent in Pakistan’s economy; Ishaq Khan got the task of recovering the country’s economic state. Later, he was appointed governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
Defence Secretary and Military Connection
Ishaq Khan has continued his journey and sent wherever he can serve. Zulfiqar Bhutto transferred him to the Ministry of Defence as Defence Secretary. Khan got an opportunity to establish connections with the Pakistan military to manage the nuclear weapons program.
This transfer was a little planned, but as a result, Khan became a powerful bureaucrat. The story moves, and Ishaq Khan becomes too close to General Zia-ul-Haq. It is said that he played a significant role in appointing Zia as chief of army staff.
Being Defence Secretary, Ishaq Khan has top priority for the Atomic Bomb project. He fully supported the appointment of famous Pakistani scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. He was the head of the Uranium Coordination Board and behind the formation of Engineering Research Laboratories Kahuta.
President of Pakistan
Ishaq Khan remained Finance Minister from 1977 to 1985. In 1985, he became Chairman of the Senate, where he worked from 1985 to 1988. In 1988, PPP nominated him for the post of President of Pakistan. Ishaq Khan won the election by securing 608 votes. He was the oldest President of Pakistan.
Even though the PPP nominated Ishaq Khan, he became in conflict with Benazir Bhutto in appointing the Justices of the Supreme Court and the military chief.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute
Ishaq Khan led the foundation of GIKI in 1988, an institute with a different vision to enhance the country’s education quality. The institute is meant to focus on science and technology; therefore, GIKI has departments related to science and technology, like mathematics, engineering, computer science, etc. Khan made efforts and got financial support from the BCCI.
Ishaq Khan was very serious about raising the education level, so he offered the big name of mathematics, Dr. Asghar Qadir, to take a professorship in mathematics. Similarly, he offered Dr. Abdul Qadeer to take charge of the physics department.
Retirement and Death
Ishaq Khan’s conflicts with the PPP eventually resulted in replacing Khan with Farooq Leghari in 1993, and Khan retired from national politics. He has not only retired but also said goodbye to politics with solid intentions to welcome any national or international media persons.
In October 2006, he suffered from Pneumonia. He remained ill and finally died on October 27, 2006. He indeed spent a tiring and productive life in Pakistan. He remained active and played a vital and positive role for Pakistan in every appointment.