LOOKING at the present state of affairs in the largest province, one is reminded of an icon, Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, a good administrator, who was the first Muslim chief minister of united Punjab from 1937 to 1942, and acting governor for some time, goes unremembered.
It goes to his credit that in the very first provincial election in Punjab under the Act of 1935, his party secured 95 seats in a house of 175. His contribution towards the awakening of, and taking interest in the welfare, of the Muslim of the region, cannot be forgotten. In an understanding with the Quaid-i-Azam, he allowed the Muslim members of his party in Punjab to join Muslim League. The Quaid praised his services, and called him ‘a strong pillar of the Muslim league’.
He was also one of the members who drafted the original Lahore resolution. One wonders why as a nation we are such misers in honouring someone who in his own way contributed to ameliorating the living standard of the Muslims of a province now part of Pakistan.
Sir Sikandar lies buried at the footsteps of the Badshahi mosque, Lahore. To be honest, how many of us pay respect to him on his birth and death anniversary or even remember him? The media too completely ignores his achievements and makes us believe that this period was not part of our history.
Khaled
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2019
