Iskander Mirza

Iskander Mirza اسکندر مرزا ইস্কান্দার মীর্জা CIE, OBE
Iskander Mirza (1898-1969)
1st President of Pakistan
In office March 23, 1956 – October 27, 1958
Prime Minister	Feroze Khan I.I. Chundrigar Huseyn Suhravardy
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Field Marshal Ayub Khan
4th Governor-General of Pakistan
In office October 6, 1955 – March 23, 1956
Prime Minister	Muhammad Ali Bogra Ch. Muhammad Ali
Governor	Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani Amiruddin Ahmad Fazul Haque
Preceded by	Malick Ghulam
Succeeded by	Office destablished
4th Interior Minister
In office October 24, 1954 – August 7, 1955
Prime Minister	Muhammad Ali Bogra
Preceded by	Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani
Succeeded by	A. K. Fazlul Huq
Minister of Commonwealth and Kashmir Affairs
In office May 29, 1954 – June 14, 1955
Prime Minister	Muhammad Ali Bogra
Governor of East-Pakistan
In office May 29, 1954 – June 14, 1955
Prime Minister	Muhammad Ali Bogra
Preceded by	Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
Succeeded by	Chief Justice M. Shahabuddin
Personal details
Born	Sahibzada Sayyid Iskander Ali Mirza (1898-12-14)14 December 1898 Murshidabad, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	12 November 1969(1969-11-12) (aged 70) London, United Kingdom
Resting place	Tehran, Iran
Citizenship	British Subject (1898-1947) Pakistan (1947-1969)
Nationality	Bengali
Political party	Republican Party
Alma mater	Elphinstone College Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Occupation	Administrator
Awards	Order of the Indian Empire Order of the British Empire
Nickname	United Kingdom
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom Pakistan
Branch/service	British Army Pakistan Army
Years of service	1920-1926 1947-1954
Rank	Major-General
Unit	2nd Cameronians Scottish Rifles
Commands	The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) Indian Political Service Ministry of Defence Corps of Military Police Ministry of Defence
Battles/wars	1920 Waziristan campaign 1939 Waziristan campaign Indo-Pakistani war of 1947 Balochistan conflict

Major-General Sahibzada Sayyid Iskander Ali Mirza, English IPA: ɪskɑndæɾ əɪiː mi(ə)ɹzə (Urdu: اسکندر مرزا; Bengali: ইস্কান্দার মীর্জা; December 14, 1898 – November 12, 1969) CIE, OBE, was the first President of Pakistan, serving from 1956 until being forced out from the presidency in 1958. Prior to that, Mirza was the last Governor-General of the Pakistan from 1955 until 1956. A direct descendent of last Nawab of Bengal Mir Jafar, Mirza was the first president of Bengali origin from East-Pakistan, and the retired career army officer, having reach the higher rank of major-general in Pakistan Army.

Starting his career in the government, Mirza was employed in the Ministry of Defence, appointed as first Defence Secretary (a higher bureaucratic post), overseeing the 1947 war with India, and the Balochistan conflict in 1948. A serious disorder and civil unrest sparked in East Pakistan as a result of Bengali Language Movement in 1952, prompting Prime minister Khawaja Nazimuddin to appoint him as the Governor of the provisional state, overseeing the success of One Unit programme in East-Pakistan in 1954, and succeeded Malik Ghulam as Governor-General in 1955. After successfully promulgating the 1956 constitution, Mirza became the first president and also was the first Bengali, to have became the president, but his presidency suffered with great political instability, foreign challenges, and ousted his appointed four prime ministers in two years, and finally imposed the martial law in 1958 after suspending the constitution; further dissolving the democratic institutions, including the Pakistan Parliament. Mirza has distinction of being the first of bringing the influence of military in the national politics after appointed his army chief as chief martial law administrator of the country.

Problems with Pakistan Armed Forces and the establishment further escalated after deteriorating the relations with the United States, and unable to control the political challenges, civil unrest, and the law and order situation completely ran out of his hand after imposing martial law. Only twenty days of martial law being imposed, Mirza was forced out and fell from the presidency and power, after his appointed Chief Martial Law Administrator Field Marshal Ayub Khan deposed his administration, exiled him to London and resided there until 1969. Died in 1969 due to a long illness, his coffin and burial in Pakistan was denied by the President Yahya Khan, out of respect, the Shah Reza Pahlavi gave him a state funeral in Tehran, Iran.

Descendent origins

Main article: Mir Jafar

Iskandar Ali Mirza was the eldest child of Sahibzada Sayyid Fateh Ali Mirza (b.1874 – d.1949) and his first wife, Dishad Begum (b. 1879– d.1924). Iskander Ali Mirza was born on December 14, 1898, at Murshidabad, Bengal Presidency of British Indian Empire. The Mirza family was an extremely influential and wealthy feudal family in Bengal, had close ties with British monarchy. His father, Fateh Ali Mirza was a notable duke of the ruling house of Murshidabad, grandson of first Nawab Mansur Ali Khan.

His paternal great-grandfather was Mir Jafar (popularly known Indian and Pakistanis as Gaddar-e-Abrar). Mir Jafar had played an integral role bringing down the Kingdom of Mysore and Kindgom's King Fateh "Tipu Sultan" Ali Khan, with the British Empire serving their informant and leading intelligence coordinator to British officer Robert Clive. His family was strict follower of the Shiite Islam, as his emblem displayed the sign of the Zulfiqar, the sword of Ali (son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad).

Education and military service

Mirza grew up in Bombay, receiving and completing his early education at Elphinstone College, of the then-University of Bombay. Prior to that, he further went on to join the British Army and was educated at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, becoming the first graduate from the Indian subcontinent at the academy, and was commissioned into the British Indian Army in 1920.

His military career served in military police and was attached to the 2nd Battalion, Cameronians 16 July 1920. His service saw extensive operations in North West Frontier Province, served well in the "Operation Khodad Khel" in 1921, and further participated in Waziristan war in 1920. He was transferred to the 17th Poona Horse (Queen Victoria's Own), as an army inspector. Although his career was short lived, Mirza left the army to join the Indian Political Service in 1926, and was posted as the Assistant Commissioner of the North West Frontier Province. In 1931, he was appointed as district officer; his career was spent in troubled Tribal belt, becoming the Political Agent of the Tribal Belt in 1938, remaining there until 1945.

Mirza was appointed and served as the Political Agent of Orissa and North West Frontier Province from 1945 until 1946. His ability to run the colonial administrative units had brought him to prominence that prompted the British Indian Government to appointed him as the Joint Defence Secretary of India 1946. Mirza only served in the army for six years, after which he was the first Indian to be accepted in the elite Indian Political Service, eventually becoming a joint secretary in the Ministry of Defence of British India. In this position, he was responsible for dividing the British Indian Army into the future armies of Pakistan and India. In 1947, Mirza became Pakistan's first Defence Secretary in the government of Liaquat Ali Khan.

Defence Secretary

Upon the establishment of Pakistan, Mirza was one of the highest-senior ranking government officer in the nation. He joined the government of Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan, and was nation's first Defence Secretary. As a Defense secretary, Mirza oversaw the 1947 war with India, as well as the Balochistan conflict. In 1950, Prime minister Ali Khan approved the recommendation, he was appointed as the honorary active duty Major-General in Pakistan Army, commanding the Military Police as its second General Officer Commanding.

In 1951, Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan appointed him as the director of the Department of Kashmir and Afghanistan Affairs (DKA), while he was responsible for coordinating the military efforts to the civilian government. His tenure also saw the re-deployment of Military Police in East-Pakistan as a resultant of the Bengali Language Movement, where the East Pakistan Rifles had fatally shot down the four student activists. Within short span of time, the Military Police had the control of the state and its officer commanding submitted the report of their course to Major-General Iskandar Mirza in 1954.

Governor of East-Pakistan

His rapid control of the province brought him to national prominence, leading national recognition to him by the Governor-General. Upon the dismissal of United Front, Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad decided to declared the governor's rule in the state, with an upcoming Prime minister was asked to appoint a governor. Appointing a new cabinet, Prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra named him as the governor of East-Pakistan, taking the oath from the Chief Justice Muhammad Munir, Mirza arrived to East-Pakistan in May 1954. After landing at the Dhaka Airport, Mirza sharply announced in Bengali language, that he would not hesitate to use force in order to establish peace in the province to the Pakistan media representatives, a statement also criticized by media anchors. On a first day of his charge, Mirza ordered the arrest of 319 persons, including Mujibur Rahman and Yousaf Ali Chaudhry.

By the mid of June 1954, the number of arrests were reached to 1,051, including 33 Assembly Members and two Dhaka University professors. Although the peace was restored and law and order situation was improved, but such actions had sown a permanent seed of hatred for the Central Government in the hearts of the people of East Pakistan.

Governor-General

The same year, he was called to continue his service in federal government after being appointed at two prestigious government assignments, the Minister of Interior and Minister of Commonwealth and Kashmir Affairs in Prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra's cabinet. He was one of the most senior bureaucratic minister in Bogra's government, and was extremely influential at that time. Due to the long illness, Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad went on a two months leave to United Kingdom, leaving the office of Governor-General to Interior minister Iskander Mirza. On August 7 of 1955, Mirza assumed the office of Governor-General, although he served as acting only but soon became permanent. Immediately after taking the oath from Chief Justice of Pakistan at the apex Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mirza spoke to the nation on radio, and due to political instability, Mirza forced Prime minister Bogra to resign from his office, instead sending him as Pakistan Ambassador to the United States in 1955.

Mirza was an outspoken supporter of the "One Unit Programmme"— a programme of integrating the nations of West-Pakistan and East Pakistan's Bengali nation into one single nation. This programme was a quiet a success in East-Pakistan, but met with harsh criticism and led by the nationalists movements. While he forcefully integrated West-Pakistan into one province, the resentment and permanent seed of hatred in the hearts for his government had the West Pakistan population to fiercely opposed his schemes. The pressure of West and East Pakistan forced him to held new general elections where Awami Party came to power under founding fathers of Pakistan.

On August 12, Mirza appointed Chaudhry Muhammad Ali as the interim Prime minister and under his and Ali's close securnity the 1954 general elections were held. Although he forced Bogra to resign but continue his policies by first forcefully imposing the One Unit programme of Bogra, and believed in the separation of state and religion. The Peoples' League under Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy came to power, and Suhrawardy was appointed as the fifth Prime minister of the country.

Presidency

Prime minister Suhrawardy and his legal team drafted and imposed the 1956 Constitution of Pakistan, replacing the office title of Governor-General of Pakistan to President of Pakistan. Almost nine year to nation's independence, the country's political system was drove to Parliamentary democracy which Mirza supported but had his own political ambitions. The Pakistan Parliament unanimously elected Iskander Mirza as the first President of Pakistan, although the duties and powers associated with the Governor-General office did not change to a great extent to President of Pakistan. Mirza was the first president of the country as well as the first Bengali president from the East Pakistan to have presided the country.

President Mirza, an Establishment backed president, widely lacked the parliamentary spirit, distrusting the civilians to ensure the integrity and sovereignty of country. It is also came to believe that Mirza had lack of training in the field of democracy and the low literacy rate amongst the masses of the society, democratic institutions cannot flourish in Pakistan's neither states, both East and West Pakistan. His presidency suffered with great political instability, civil unrest, and immigration problems. The electricity problems in West-Pakistan brought his government to nearly end, prompting Prime minister Suhrawardy to established the plan of nuclear power in the country. Relations with the United States and Soviet Union deteriorated quick, and problems with India also mounted.

The One Unit programme of Bogra was brutalized in West-Pakistan, and collapsed after the Provinces of West Pakistan denied to be integrated in one provisional state. The provinces retain their current status, nationalists also forced Mirza to give state recognition of their languages as well in the constitutions. Under his presidency, Mirza's despotic manner dismissed his elected prime ministers, including people elected prime minister Suhrawardy, also Bengali and from East Pakistan.

Martial Law

The Awami League began negotiating power sharing programme with Muslim League, who its was re-organizing after the 1954 elections. This attempt of Awami League threatened Mirza and his political might which brought Muslim League to come to nearly end. Therefore, on October 7, 1958, Mirza issued a executive decree and a state presidential proclamation abrogating the 1956 Constitution of Pakistan. The Pakistan Parliament, provisional assemblies were dissolved, and the civil government of Awami League was brought to end.

On October 7, he appeared on national radio declaring the with the view to introducing a new constitution; "more suited to the genius of the Pakistan nation", on November 1958, as he believed democracy was unsuited to Pakistan "with its 15% literacy rate". However, Bhutto in 1967 countered Mirza's views after pointing out that "the same problem of low literacy also existed in India which had opted for democracy".

This martial law imposed by country's first Bengali president was a first martial law in Pakistan, which would continue until the dissolution of East Pakistan in 1971. It was also the first martial law declared by the civilian leader therefore, Mirza appointed then-Army Commander of Pakistan Army, General Ayub Khan, as the Chief Martial Law Administrator (MLA), which proved his undoing in less than two weeks.

Military coup d'état

President Mirza and his Army Commander General Ayub Khan had began the new era with apparent unanimity, jointly describing it as a two-man dictatorial regime rovolved under the "Establishment", and the Pakistan Armed Forces. But, the two had very different views on dealing with the new situation, even though the two were responsible for bringing about the change.

I did not mean to do it.... The Martial Law would be for shortest possible duration until the new elections....

— President Mirza, 1958,

President Iskander Mirza had not envisaged any change in his previous powers; he wanted to retain the ability to maneuver things according to his own whim. Judging from the situation, the things however had changed as the time and situation both were demanding the complete solution. General Ayub Khan and the CMLA of Martial Law, came to an understanding that the real political power and might rested with the Armed Forces, and the CMLA General Ayub Khan was determined to assert himself. Within a week of the proclamation of Martial Law, President Mirza realized the delicate position he had gotten himself into. In a interview given to Dawn, President Mirza regretted his decision and reportedly quoted that: "I did not mean to do it" while offering assurances that the Martial Law would be for the shortest possible duration.

The sharing of power soon led to the intensification and a tug of war of the power struggle between the two men. This deadly game produced bloody results for President Mirza after the President tried to balance the power structure by illegally appointing General Ayub Khan as Prime Minister on October 24, 1958. The new cabinet that President Mirza had set up consisted entirely of non-political members, mostly technocrats, one of them being Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The new cabinet did not satisfy General Ayub Khan who had more powers as the Chief Martial Law Administrator.

In order to secure himself, President Iskander Mirza made a last move when he tried to get the support of Ayub Khan's rivals within the Army, Navy, and the PAF. This move brutally backed fire on President Mirza when the ranking officers of Armed Forces notified General Ayub Khan of his schemes. With the consensus of his military generals and admirals of the Navy, Ayub Khan ordered Military Police to led the arrest of President Iskander Ali Mirza on October 27, 1958. Mirza was exiled immediately to Great Britain, after the ouster of Iskander Mirza, General Ayub Khan became the sole power in Pakistan.

Honours

• India General Service Medal (1936)
• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
• King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)-1939
• Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE)-1945
• Pakistan Independence Medal-1948
• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal-1953
• Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of the Empire of Iran-1956
• Order of the Supreme Sun, 1st Class of the Kingdom of Afghanistan-1958

Family

On 24 November 1922, Iskander married Rif'a'at Begum (1907-23 March 1967). The couple had two sons and four daughters.

In October 1954, Iskander married Iranian born Naheed Begum (1914-), the couple had no children. Naheed Begum was a close friend of Begum Nusrat Bhutto. Because of this friendship Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was introduced into political arena of Pakistan.

Post Presidency and Death

Mirza lived in exile in London, United Kingdom until his death. He died of a heart-attack in London on 12 November 1969, the day before his 70th birthday. It is reported that Mirza struggled financially while living in London.

It is witnessed by Pakistan's journalist that Mirza financially struggled while trying to run a small Pakistan cuisine hotel. The London-based Community financially helped the former president, and one of the wealthiest Pakistan's expatriate paid for his medical bills and afford his children's expensive education in London.

After his death, President Yahya Khan— Ayub Khan's younger brother— and his military government refused to allow him to be buried in his own country, his body was flown to Tehran where, out of respect, Shah of Iran gave him a State Funeral where the hundreds of Pakistan community in Iran paid a farewell message and offered their prayers to him.

Excerpts From Major General Iskander Mirza's Letter to His Children

Mr. Chundrigar is now Prime Minister and I hope the present Government will continue until general election in November 1958. I am quite sure there will be a new President in the new set-up. I am tired of trying to keep the country on the rails and wish all the luck to my successor. With 15% literacy we are trying to run a Constitution which requires 70% literacy - This is the basis of all our troubles. I trusted the Army and in Military honour of General Ayub khan. This was an error of judgment, and people who got on top and misjudge as I did have no right to complain and deserve what they get. This is the end of an episode as far as I am concerned. Individuals don't count, it is the country which matters. Signed I.A.M.

References

• Shahab, Qudrat-Ullah (2005 (21st Edition)). Shahabnama. Karachi: Sang-e-Meel. ISBN 969-35-0025-3. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)

• Mirza, Humayun (2002). From Plassey to Pakistan. Washington, D.C.: University Press of America. ISBN 978-0761815099.