Birth name Mohammad Azam Khan Years of service 1928-1962 Service/branch Pakistan Army | Allegiance Pakistan Nickname(s) MA Khan Name Muhammad Khan | |
Died 1994 (86 or 87 years old) | ||
Lieutenant General Muhammad Azam Khan (1908–1994) was a senior general of the Pakistan army who was a minister under General Ayub Khan, the first military ruler of Pakistan. Azam Khan was also a former Governor of East Pakistan.
Contents
- Early life and education
- Career
- Popular governor of East Pakistan
- President of Pakistan Olympic Association
- Death
- References
Early life and education
He was born on 1 August 1908 in Mathra, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, British India. He attended the Rashtriya Indian Military College then the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and was commissioned a second lieutenant on the Unattached List for the Indian Army on 29 August 1929.
Career
He started his career being attached to the Rifle Brigade for a year then he joined the Indian Army 1 November 1930 and was posted to the 4th battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment. He was promoted Captain 1 August 1938 and appointed Adjutant 6 December 1939. By October 1942 he was serving with 6th battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment and had attended a war time staff course. By April 1944 he was a war substantive Major attached to the 10th Baluch Regiment. He was appointed temporary Lt-Col and was the commanding officer of 9th battalion 10th Baluch Regiment from May 1945 to April 1946. He was promoted Major 29 August 1946.
He fought in Arakan, Burma in World War Two. By 1947, he was an Assistant Quarter Master General. On partition and the creation of Pakistan he opted for the Pakistan Army.
On 1 January 1948, he was appointed Brigadier and commander of the 25th Brigade. In January 1950, he was promoted to Major General and command of 10th Division at Lahore Four years later he was promoted to Lieutenant General.
He was the General officer commanding (GOC) of Lahore Garrison and was appointed Martial law administrator in 1953. As the GOC he oversaw the suppression of anti-Ahmadiyya violence following the Lahore riots of 1953. He later served as the top army commander in East Pakistan before joining Ayub Khan's military regime. He helped Ayub Khan in his coup d'état in 1958. On 28 October 1958 he was made a senior Minister for Refugees Rehabilitation in Ayub Khan's administration.
Popular governor of East Pakistan
He was appointed as the Governor of East Pakistan province on 14 April 1960. He was a well-liked governor in East Pakistan. "Azam Khan acquired the love and respect of the people of East Pakistan by his personal behaviour and free mixing with all classes of people." There were reported rumors back then that president Ayub Khan was upset by the great popularity of the governor and felt threatened by it. Ayub Khan saw him as his potential rival of the future.
He remained in office until 1962. During the presidential election of 1964. Azam Khan "supported the presidential candidacy of Fatima Jinnah" and continued to work strongly against Ayub Khan until after the latter's ouster.
President of Pakistan Olympic Association
Death
He died in Lahore, Pakistan in 1994.