Ch. Mohammad Zafarullah Khan | |
|---|---|
محمد ظفر اللہ خان | |
 Khan in 1939 | |
| 1stMinister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 27 December 1947 – 24 October 1954 | |
| Prime Minister | Liaquat Ali Khan Khawaja Nazimuddin Muhammad Ali Bogra |
| Preceded by | Liaquat Ali Khan |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Ali Bogra |
| President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
| In office 1961–1962 | |
| Preceded by | Mongi Slim |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Sosa Rodríguez |
| President of theInternational Court of Justice | |
| In office 1970–1973 | |
| Deputy | Fouad Ammoun |
| Preceded by | José Bustamante y Rivero |
| Succeeded by | Manfred Lachs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1893-02-06)6 February 1893 Wazirabad,Punjab, India (nowPunjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 1 September 1985(1985-09-01) (aged 92) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Political party | All-India Muslim League (Before 1947) Muslim League (1947–1958) |
| Alma mater | Government College University King's College London |
SirChaudhry Mohammad Zafarullah Khan[a]KCSI (6 February 1893 – 1 September 1985) was a Pakistani diplomat and jurist who served as the firstforeign minister of Pakistan. After serving as foreign minister he continued his international career and is the onlyPakistani to preside over theInternational Court of Justice.[1] He also served as the President of theUN General Assembly. He is the only person to date to serve as the President of both UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice.[2][3]
Khan became one of the most vocal proponents of Pakistan and led the case for the separate nation in theRadcliffe Commission which drew the countries of modern-day South Asia.[4][5] He moved toKarachi in August 1947 and became a member of Pakistan's first cabinet serving as the country's debut foreign minister under theLiaquat administration. He remained Pakistan's top diplomat until 1954 when he left to serve on theInternational Court of Justice and remained on the court as a judge until 1958 when he became the court's vice president. He left theHague in 1961 to become thePermanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, a position he served until 1964.[6]
Before he served in The UN he fought for Palestinian Interest thus it made him a hero well respected by the Arab Masses. In 1963, he became president of UN General AssemblyState of Palestine in ade facto capacity.[7] He left the UN in 1964 to return to theICJ and, in 1970, he became the first and only Pakistani to serve as thePresident of the International Court of Justice, a position he maintained until 1973.[8] He returned to Pakistan and retired inLahore where he died in 1985 at the age of 92. Khan is considered a prominent figure in Pakistan.[9][10] He authored several books on Islam both inUrdu and English.[11]
Chaudhry Zafarullah Khan was born on 6 February 1893 in the City of Sialkot inSialkot District.[12] His family wereZamindars ofSahiJat extraction based aroundDaska and were of the headman of their village the other being a SahiSikh Sardar. Khan's family had suffered a decline during the Sikh era due to government favoritism towards Sikhs and the early death of his Great Grandfather which resulted in his grandfather, Chaudhry Sikandar Khan to become thevillage headman in his adolescence. However, over time, Chaudhry Sikander Khan regained much of the family's status and became a widely respected around Daska.[12] Sikandar Khan's son and Zafarullah Khan's father, Chaudhry Nasrullah Khan became part of the first wave of Landed Gentry of Sialkot to receive a western education and became one of the most prominent lawyers of Sialkot district. Both of his parents were deeply religious members of theAhmadiyya Muslim movement.
Khan's mother, Hussain Bibi, belonged to a well to do Zamindar family hailing from theBajwa tribe of Jats. She was his father's maternalfirst cousin. Hussain Bibi and Zafarullah Khan were incredibly close and Khan called her the most powerful influence in his life. Hussain Bibi was deeply religious and was known for her exceptionally firm belief in God. Hussain Bibi had lost her first two children in their infancy. Relatives thought it was because she had refused to give offerings demanded by Jai Devi, a self acclaimed villagewitch, who villagers thought delved inblack magic. They urged her to appease Jai Devi, however, Hussain Bibi bluntly refused even after mounting pressure from the family after the second infant's death. Arguing that she would gladly give charity to Jai Devi but since Jai Devi had claimed to control her infants ability to live or die she could not as it violated her faith. Stating that it would be tantamount toShirk as onlyAllah controlled who lived or died.
He studied atGovernment College, Lahore and received his L.L.B. fromKing's College London in 1914. He was called to the bar atLincoln's Inn, London. He practised law in Sialkot and Lahore, became a member of thePunjab Legislative Council in 1926.[2][13]
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan practiced law inColonial India. He was the counsel for theAhmadiyya cause in two landmark judgements.[14] In 1916, thePatna High Court gave a verdict on the caseHakim Khalil Ahmad Vs. Malik Israfil which gave Ahmadis the right to use religious places ofIslam for prayers.[15][16] In 1922, theMadras High Court acknowledgedAhmadiyya as being a part ofIslam in its verdict on the caseNarantakath Avullah v. Parakkal Mammu.[17]
Zafarullah was elected a member of thePunjab Legislative Council in 1926 and presided at the Delhi meeting of theAll-India Muslim League in 1931, where he advocated the cause of the Indian Muslims through his presidential address. He participated at theRound Table Conferences held from 1930 to 1932 and became theMinister of Railways in May 1935. In 1939, he represented India at theLeague of Nations. He was appointed the Agent General of India in China in 1942 and represented India as the Indian Government's nominee at the Commonwealth Relations Conference in 1945, where he spoke on India's cause for freedom.
From 1935 to 1941, he was a member of the Executive Council of theViceroy of India. Sir Zafarullah Khan prepared a note on the future of the dominion status of India analyzing the future prospects of the "Dominion Status".[18][19][20] It took into account concerns of Muslims and ultimately proposed a plan to divide the subcontinent. This note was sent toLord Zetland,Secretary of State for India, as referred in a letter[21] byLord Linlithgow dated 12 March 1940.
Lord Linlithgow, however, had not a complete grasp of contents in the analytic note prepared by Sir Zafarullah Khan at the time it was sent to the Secretary of India.[22] A copy of this note was sent to Jinnah. Sir Zafarullah Khan's proposal of a two-state solution for the Indian Federation was adopted by the Muslim League with a view to give it full publicity in the forthcoming session at Lahore 22–24 March.
In September 1941, Zafarullah Khan was appointed a Judge of theFederal Court of India, a position he held until June 1947. At the request ofMuhammad Ali Jinnah, he represented theMuslim League in July 1947 before theRadcliffe Boundary Commission and presented the case of the Muslims in a highly commendable manner. Zafarullah Khan advised theNawab of Junagadh that if he decided to join his state with Pakistan, it would be both moral and legal. The Nawab then proceeded to announce his decision.[23]
In October 1947, Zafarullah Khan represented Pakistan at theUnited Nations General Assembly as head of the Pakistani delegation and advocated the position of the Muslim world on thePalestinian issue. On October 28, he was appointed chairman of Subcommittee 2 of theAd Hoc Committee on the Palestinian Question upon the resignation of the previous chairman.[24] That year, he was appointed Pakistan's firstForeign Minister, a post he held for seven years. Between 1948 and 1954, he also represented Pakistan at the United NationsSecurity Council where he advocated for the liberation of occupiedKashmir,Libya,Northern Ireland,Eritrea,Somalia,Sudan,Tunisia,Morocco, and Indonesia.
As Foreign Minister, he represented Pakistan at the Manila Treaty Conference in September 1954. Support for theManila Pact in Pakistan was divided, with West Pakistan dominatedarmy and a handful of leaders in favour of this, while most elected members of theConstituent Assembly from West Pakistan and all of the Assembly members from East Pakistan opposed it. Zafarullah signed theManila Pact, committing to Pakistan's accession to theSoutheast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
In 1954, he became a Judge at theInternational Court of Justice (ICJ) inThe Hague, a position he held until 1961. He was the vice-president of theInternational Court of Justice from 1958 to 1961. Between 1961 and 1964, he was Pakistan's Permanent Representative at the United Nations. From 1962 to 1964, he was also thePresident of theUN General Assembly. He later rejoined the ICJ as a judge from 1964 to 1973, serving as president from 1970 to 1973.[25]
In 1982, the first everProvisional World Parliament (PWP) met inBrighton,U.K. at theRoyal Pavilion was presided over by him.[26][27]
As an Ahmadi, Zafarullah Khan held the office of Ameer (president) of theLahore, Pakistan chapter of the Community from 1919 to 1935.[2] He served as Secretary toKhalifatul Masih II, the second successor ofMirza Ghulam Ahmad, at theMajlis-e-Shura (Consultative Council) for the first time in 1924, and continued to do so for 17 more sessions. In addition, he was a member of the delegation which represented the Ahmadiyya Community at the All Parties Conference held in 1924. In 1927, he acted successfully as representative counsel for the Muslims of thePunjab in the contempt of court case against theMuslim Outlook.[2]
As Pakistan's firstForeign Minister, Zafarullah Khan addressed theConstituent Assembly of Pakistan in the days leading up to the passing of theObjectives Resolution. The Objectives Resolution, which combined features of both Western andIslamic democracy, is one of the most important documents in the constitutional history of Pakistan. It was designed to provide equal rights for all citizens of Pakistan, regardless of their race, religion or background. Zafarullah Khan was quoted as saying:
It is a matter of great sorrow that, mainly through mistaken notions of zeal, the Muslims have during the period of decline earned for themselves an unenviable reputation for intolerance. But that is not the fault of Islam. Islam has from the beginning proclaimed and inculcated the widest tolerance. For instance, so far as freedom of conscience is concerned the Quran says "There shall be no compulsion" of faith...
In March 1958, Zafarullah Khan performedUmrah and, at the same time, visited the shrine ofMuhammad inMedina, Saudi Arabia. During his visit, he met with the King of Saudi ArabiaSaud of Saudi Arabia, and stayed at the Royal Palace as a personal guest of the King.[citation needed] In 1967, he returned to Saudi Arabia to performHajj, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.
Khan's legacy has been hailed and his paramount role in the creation of Pakistan has been celebrated in the history of Pakistan. He is popularly known by his title Sir Zafarullah Khan, and openly acknowledged that he belonged to theAhmadiyya Community. He was selected byMuhammad Ali Jinnah as the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan. He was one of the most influential, skilled, and passionate diplomats of his time.
In a personal tribute, KingHussein bin Tallal of Jordan said:
"He was indeed a champion of the Arab cause and his ceaseless efforts whether among the Muslim and non-aligned countries or at the International Court of Justice will remain forever a shining example of a great man truly dedicated to our faith and civilization."
— Review of Religions, September/October 1986, pg. 6
Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali, a formerPrime Minister of Iraq, in a tribute on his death, wrote:
"In fact, it was not possible for any Arab, however capable and competent he may be, to serve the cause of Palestine in a manner in which this distinguished and great man dedicated himself. What was the result of the debate in the United Nations is another matter. But, it must be acknowledged that Mohammad Zafrulla Khan occupies a pre-eminent position in defending the Palestinians in this dispute. We expect from all Arabs and followers of Islam that they will never forget this great Muslim fighter. After Palestine, the services of this man for the independence of Libya also deserves admiration. In the United Nations, his struggle for the rights of Arabs formed the basis of firm and lasting friendship between us."
— Al-Sabah, 10 October 1985
An editorial inDawn of Karachi stated that:
"He earned the abiding respect and admiration of the Arab and other Muslim nations as a defender of their interests."
— Dawn editorial, 3 September 1985
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| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Minister of Foreign Affairs 1947–1954 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | Ambassador to the United Nations 1961–1964 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the United Nations General Assembly 1962–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the International Court of Justice 1970–1973 | Succeeded by |
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