October 16, 2023, marks the 72nd anniversary of the death of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan. He was tragically assassinated in a shocking incident during a public meeting in Rawalpindi on the same day in 1951. Even after more than seven decades, the mystery surrounding this tragic event, one of the nation’s worst, remains unsolved.
The incident happened at Company Bagh in Rawalpindi, which was later renamed Liaquat Bagh in his honor. According to the official report, Khan Liaqat Ali Khan had just begun his speech when a person in the audience fired two or three shots at him. He fell to the stage due to the bullets, and the assassin, Syed Akbar, was killed on the spot.
Liaquat Ali Khan, often called “Shaheed-e-Millat” (Martyr of the Nation), was a significant figure in Pakistan’s early history. Born on October 1, 1895, in Karnal, India, he played a crucial role in the movement for Pakistan’s independence and served as the country’s first Prime Minister. He was a close associate of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and advocated for the rights of Muslims in British India, which eventually led to the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
As Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan faced numerous challenges, including stabilizing the newly formed nation, building diplomatic relationships, and addressing the needs of the people. His life was tragically cut short when he was assassinated in 1951 in Rawalpindi, a mystery that remains unsolved.
An eyewitness to the tragic event, 98-year-old Abdul Majeed Kanwal, still remembers the circumstances and events of the meeting as deeply suspicious. He described the atmosphere as “strange and suspicious.”
The nation continues to honor the life and legacy of Liaquat Ali Khan Shaheed, a prominent figure in Pakistan’s history, even as the circumstances surrounding his tragic death remain veiled in mystery.
