KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan’s literary committee organised a special event on Thursday evening to commemorate the 74th death anniversary of Shaheed-i-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan — the first prime minister of Pakistan and a prominent leader in the country’s freedom movement.

Researcher Anis Shaikh was the first speaker on the occasion. He said there’s a gap between the older generation and Gen Z. The latter don’t know about the role that Mr Khan played in the movement for independence. He lamented that not enough books have been written about the former prime minister.

Former MNA Kishwar Zehra, looking at the arrangement for the programme at the council and a small number of guests, questioned whether the Shaheed-i-Millat had such a status.

“Given the services that he rendered for the country, we have lagged far behind in acknowledging them. Since I was in the National Assembly, I had raised my voice on the subject. I can tell you effort is being made to change history with reference to those who took part in the Pakistan movement,” she said.

Tribute paid to country’s first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan on his 74th death anniversary

She spoke about one of her visits to Lahore where she saw pictures of leaders of the freedom movement which, apart from the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s, included Allama Iqbal and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. She said while she praised Iqbal’s poetry and Sir Syed’s wisdom, they had nothing to do with the movement.

“I had written a note saying along with the picture of the Quaid-i-Azam there should be a picture of Liaquat Ali Khan. He was our second great leader. He had left all of his belongings in India and shifted to Pakistan with his family. He had done a lot for Pakistan. His wife initiated work on women empowerment in the country, which to date is carrying on,” she said.

Ms Zehra told the audience she had tabled a resolution in the assembly arguing since Mr Khan was martyred in Rawalpindi, the city’s new airport be named after him. After a few days, an extremely important meeting was suspended and another resolution was brought in that the airport be named after Benazir Bhutto. “My party demonstrated against it. We said the city already had an airport named after her, why can’t the second one be named after Liaquat Ali Khan! To date that matter is in pending.”

Former adviser to chief minister Iqbal Yusuf said we should admit that today we’re accepting all those conditions the Shaheed-i-Millat fought against and gave his life for. “We are ashamed, Shaheed-i-Millat.”

He pointed out that after Mr Khan’s death, the nation was divided into Sindhis, Balochs, Punjabis etc and not remained united as Pakistanis. “Quaid-i-Millat, we also have a complaint against you. When you were prime minister, had you accepted Khwaja Nazimuddin’s suggestion and abolished the jagirdarana system, today things would have been different.”

Academic Dr Nosheen Wasi talked about how we can learn from the personalities that contribute to our history. “It is sad to note that it is not just with Liqauat Ali Khan, in fact, all the good characters in our history have been made controversial.”

Prof Anis Zaidi in his speech, among other aspects of the Quaid-i-Millat, mentioned the resourceful life that he led in India and then the one in Pakistan where he opted for meagre resources even as prime minister.

Mahfuz-Un-Nabi Khan, who presided over the event, touched upon a few topics that earlier speakers had chosen to speak on, such as land reform and naming the airport after Mr Khan.

Faiz Ali Khan moderated the event. Unfortunately, no member of the Arts Council’s literary committee was present at the event.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2025