"Reluctant to Retire" is reproduced below with certain corrections by His Highness Nawabzada Akber Liaquat Ali Khan - The younger Son of the Most Magnificent and Sovereign Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan (14 August, 1947 - 16 October ,1951)
"The purpose of this article is to assimilate knowledge to the nation and it would prove to be a valuable academic resource for students of history and contemporary research scholars".
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| Left: Lt. Colonel (Retired) Syed Iskandar Ali Mirza - Right: General Muhammad Ayub Khan |
This is the story of two gentlemen who were reluctant to
retire on completion of their service. One was Lt. Colonel (Retired) Syed
Iskandar Ali Mirza Defence Secretary, who was due for retirement in 1954 on
attaining the age of 55 years (he was born on 13th November 1899).
The second one was General Muhammad Ayub Khan the Commander-in-Chief of
Pakistan Army, who was due for retirement on 17th January 1954, on
completion of his three years' service (he was appointed c-in-c on 17th
January 1951). Mirza got King's Commission from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
in 1920 and Ayub got King's Commission from Sandhurst on 2nd
February 1928. While passing out, they took oath that they would ever remain
loyal to the Great Britain and the British Raj at the peril of their lives. They remained true to their oaths and remained ever
loyal to the King of Britain and later Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. Oblivious
of their new responsibilities after independence of Pakistan on 14th
August 1947, they had their hearts and souls for their original masters and the
West. Both joined hands in their personal interest exclusively (and not in the
interest of the state). Both tore the entire fabric of the Nation for their
lust for power by not allowing the political system to flourish in the country.
Their indulgence in political affairs of the country resulted in the breakup of
Pakistan (separation of East Pakistan) with great humiliation in December 1971.
Iskandar Mirza's great great great grandfather Syed Mir Jafar Ali Mirza was a
traitor so he had a hereditary trait of disloyalty. He served for six years in
the Military Police of the British Indian Army. As a Captain, his services were
transferred to Indian Political service and posted in KPK as the British Indian
Political Agent in 1926 and served there upto 1946. He played his role in the
best interest of the British Indian Government and also served with Olaf Chero,
the British Governor of KPK at the time of Independence. This Governor had organized
and inspired certain people in KPK to stage an Independent "Pakhtunistan
State" comprising of present KPK and the tribal areas. Iskandar Mirza
stayed In KPK for twenty long years and was instrumental in introducing tribal
Sardars to the Governor. For Pakistan's bad luck, Syed Iskandar Ali Mirza was
later posted in the British Indian Defence Ministry as Deputy Additional
Secretary Defence. It was most unfortunate that an officer who was not from
Indian Civil service (I.C.S) but from British Indian Political service and a
very loyal officer of the British Indian Government was accepted in Pakistan
and appointed Defence Secretary as a retired Lt. Colonel after Independence.
He was apparently very obedient and sweet but highly
deceitful. Lt General(R) Abdul Majid Malik has written in his memoires that
Syed Iskandar Ali Mirza made a false file and got Ayub appointed C-In-C. Now
both became King Makers in Pakistan's politics. The Prime Minister Nawabzada
Liaquat Ali Khan had liberated Azad Kashmir. Pandit Nehru approached UNO for a
ceasefire assuring a plebiscite in occupied Kashmir. This event was exploited
to that extent for two and a half years that ultimately became known as
"The Rawalpindi Conspiracy 1951" against the authority of the PM. The
Officers were not arrested or tried in a court Martial when General David
Gracey was C-in-C. Major General Shahid Hamid, who was head of military
intelligence never told the PM about the conspiracy. The Rawalpindi Conspiracy
was dramatically leaked outasAyub was appointed C-in-C. This creates lots of
doubts about the credibility of this story. Mirza and Ayub were called at
Sargodha by the PM on receiving information from Mr. I. I. Chundrigar Governor
KPK, who was earlier informed by a Sub Inspector Syed Askar Ali Shah (brother
of late Lt Colonel Syed Sultan Ali Shah). Both lied to the PM that they knew
nothing about the said conspiracy. "They will go to Peshawar and meet Asker
Ali Shah to know details". On the other hand, Ayub writes in his book that
General Gracey had told him about "Young Turks" in Pakistan Army. The
officers were arrested on 9th March 1951, but their trial started
on 15th June 1951 by the
Hyderabad Tribunal. Certain civilians including Faiz Ahmed Faiz were also
arrested to give a communist touch to the false story. Four months after the
start of trial of officers, the PM was assassinated on 16th October
1951. If the conspiracy were true, then the life of PM was certainly in great
danger, but neither Civil nor military intelligence and security cared for his
life on that fateful day of October 16, 1951. PM's assassination was a blessing
in disguise for Syed Iskandar Ali Mirza and Ayub Khan. They were the
beneficiaries of PM assassination. They formed a Troika with Ghulam Muhammad.
He was sick, a cripple and these two gentlemen were his crutches, and became
King Makers; otherwise both would have retired in 1954.
Crash of the plane bringing Major General Iftikhar (GOC
Lahore), and Brigadier Sher Khan near Jang Shahi between the nights of 12 and
13December 1949, was also a blessing in disguise for Iskandar Mirza Ayub axis.
Similarly, crash of plane over Khewara mines carrying I.G. Special Police Mian
Aitezaz Uddin was also a blessing in disguise for all those who were involved
in the assassination of the PM. General Gracey had told Lt. General Wajahat
Hussain (1956) that he had not
recommended Ayub as C-in-C because he was ambitious and most unsuitable for
appointment as C-in-C.
65 years of Research on PM's assassination endorses the
belief of Dr Ayesha Jalal that the Rawalpindi Conspiracy was a false case,
organized by the British and the American Agencies in collaboration with their
sympathizers in Pakistan Government and the Armed forces. It is obvious that
the Rawalpindi Conspiracy involved the assassination of the PM as a drop scene.
It was the main aim of fabricating the false story of the Rawalpindi Conspiracy
1951. The political scientists believe that the story of the Rawalpindi
Conspiracy was fabricated to shock the PM. It intended to blindfold the PM by
showing false loyalty by planning to unduly prolong the trial, create hatred
against the PM and the War Heroes (alleged officers) by the print media and
facilitate the assassination of the PM by neglecting or withdrawing the State
Security by the Civil and Military Intelligence agencies during the visit to
Rawalpindi on the fateful day of 16th October 1951. On 17th
October 1951, the Troika of Ghulam Muhammad, Iskandar Mirza and Ayub Khan
captured power. After a lapse of one and a half year, both Iskandar Mirza and
Ayub Khan realized that they would have to quit their respective posts on
retirement in 1954. They had no chance of staying back in their seats. They
were also unlikely to get an extension from the PM Khwaja Nazimuddin.
Therefore, both decided to remove the Prime Minister on 17th April
1953. After nine months Ayub was due for retirement on 17th January
1954, followed by the retirement of Iskandar Mirza in the same year (1954).
Both the king makers called the Pakistan's Ambassador in the USA Mr. Muhammad
Ali Bogra to reach Pakistan immediately. According to the message delivered to
Mr. Bogra the Governor General wanted to see him immediately, failing which he
would be sacked. The Ambassador managed to land at Karachi Airport between the
night of 16 and 17 April 1953 after encountering great difficulties. He was received by the king makers at the
Airport and was taken to the VIP lounge. He was told to stay there till sunrise
until the Governor General gets up. They told him that he has been appointed
Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was surprised to know this news. In the morning
Mr. Bogra was taken to the Governor General later on Mr. Bogra was taken to the
office of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister Khwaja Nazimuddin had gone to
visit East Pakistan; he was declared dismissed and was instructed not to return
to West Pakistan. Three Files were placed before Mr. Bogra.
According to file number 1 Mr. Iskandar
Ali Mirza was appointed as the Interior Minister in addition to his duties as
the Defence Secretary. According to the Second file, Ayub Khan was appointed as
the Defence Minister in addition to his duties as the C-in-C. According to the
third file, The Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra awards three years extension
to Ayub Khan as C-in-C almost nine months before the date of his actual
retirement on 17th January 1954. After a lapse of two years Mr.
Bogra was sent back to the USA to resume his duties as the Pakistan's
Ambassador to USA. Both Iskandar Mirza and Ayub Khan forced Ghulam Muhammad to
go on two months sick leave and thus Iskandar Mirza assumed the position asActing
Governor General on 6th August 1955. On 6th October 1955
Iskandar Mirza becomes Governor General and the Gazette notification is issued
in 1955 that Iskandar Mirza had retired from the post of the Defence Secretary
w.e.f. 1954. Next PM ChaudharyMuhammad Ali ( who had advised or misguided the
then Governor General Khawaja Nazimuddin to become Prime Minister) presented
the 1956 constitution.
Syed Iskandar Ali Mirza, becomes the
First President of Pakistan and sacks Chaudhary Muhammad Ali as the 4th
PM of the country. Mr. Hussain Shaheed Soharwardy is appointed the 5th
PM of the country. Ayub Khan gets another two years extension on the
recommendation of Iskandar Mirza from the PM H.S. Soharwardy. This extension
will expire in 1959 (on 17 January 1959). It was another extension in advance.
The PM Mr. Hussain Shaheed Soharwardy is not only sacked but also later
produced in the court of a Lt. Colonel duly handcuffed. Mr. H.S. Soharwardy
laments on his great mistake. He declared the act of granting extension to Ayub
Khan as a second tragic event, the first being the death of his dearest
wife,two years after his marriage. Iskandar Mirza appoints Mr. I. I. Chundrigar
and Mr. Feroze Khan Noon as the 6th and 7th PM. Later
Ayub Khan took over on 7th October 1958 and exiled Iskandar Mirza.
He died on 13th November 1969 at the age of 70 in London. He was
removed with great disgrace and humiliation and denied burial in Pakistan. Shah
of Iran received his body and gave a State Funeral and buried him near the tomb
of General Zahidi (Father of his ex-son-in-law Arad Sher Zahidi). If Mirza had
opted to serve in India he had the talent to become President of India like
Abul Kalam Azad and other Muslim Presidents of India like Dr. Zakir Hussain and
the scientist Abul Kalam. Mirza could have earned more respect there and also a
place for his burial, which was denied in Pakistan. Similarly, if Ayub Khan had
opted to serve in India, after 15 Aug 1947, he might have retired from the
post-Independence Indian army as a Lt. Colonel for showing tactical cowardice
and losing command of his battalion on the Burma Front (in world war 2) by the
order of the British GOC, or at the most he might have risen to the rank of a
brigadier or a Major General (At the mercy of General Cariappa. Ayub had served
under him as Lt. Colonel in his brigade when General Cariappa was a Brigadier
in Waziristan. General Cariappa became Field Marshal in 1986, 33 years after
his retirement in 1953) and earned some respect in post-independence Indian
Army, like the brother of Actor Naseeruddin Shah aka “Tirchi Topi Wale”.
But what happened in Pakistan, he left with
great disgrace and humiliation at the hands of his own hand-picked C-in-C Yahya
Khan. He used to abuse the politicians even the companions of Quaid-e-Azam. The
students returned the same abuse to him which was very sad.
