Sahibzada Muhammad Ishaq Zaffar Explained

Office:President of Azad Kashmir
Termstart:20 July 1991
Termend:29 July 1991
Office1:Speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly
Termstart1:29 June 1990
Termend1:29 July 1991
Death Place:Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Predecessor1:Mohammad Ayub Khan
Predecessor:Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan
Successor:Abdul Rashid Abbasi
Successor1:Abdul Rashid Abbasi
Birth Date:1944 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Bani Hafiz, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Native Name Lang:ur
Native Name:صاحبزادہ محمد اسحاق ظفر

Sahibzada Muhammad Ishaq Zaffar (Urdu: صاحبزادہ محمد اسحاق ظفر) also known as Ishaq Zaffar (1945–2006) was a Pakistani politician in Azad Kashmir administrative territory.[1] [2] [3] He filled various positions in the Azad Kashmir government from the 1970s until dying in office in 2006, beginning as a member of the Pakistan People's Party, serving as member of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Speaker of the Assembly, Acting President of Azad Kashmir, and senior minister, and was opposition leader in the constituent assembly at the time of his death.[4] He contested elections for constituent assembly of Azad Kashmir for five times and always won assembly seat.[5]

Early life

Born on 12 September 1944 in Bani Hafiz, a village of Hattian Bala, Azad Kashmir. Zaffar belonged to the spiritual family of Bani Hafiz, Hattian Bala which produced saints and spiritual leaders which are quiet well known in the locality.[6] His father's name was Hafiz Abdul Latif. Hafiz Jamal ud din was his great-grandfather.[7] Hafiz Abdul Qudoos was his uncle. Zaffar was born as an orphan, and raised by his uncle Hafiz Mian Muhammad Yunus, a local Sufi saint whose tomb is now a shrine in the village.[8] [9]

Education

Zaffar matriculated from Chikar Tehsil of Muzaffarabad (now in Hattian Bala) and then went to Karachi to study law. He also earned his master's degree in political science and Urdu from Karachi University.[4]

Political life

Before joining politics he was a primary school teacher. Zaffar left the government teaching job and joined Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the early 1970s.[4] He was among the founding members of party Pakistan Peoples Party in Azad Kashmir. Zaffar was a law graduate, and remained bar president of Muzaffarabad Bar. Zaffar was a supporter of Bhuttos[10] and he almost spent 30 months in jail for opposition to Zia ul Haq and Pervez Musharraf regimes.[11] [12] During the martial law in Pakistan he remained vocal for restoration of democracy in Pakistan under the banner of Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).[13]

He was considered among the members of the party which were close to Benazir Bhutto.[14] He remained as president of Pakistan peoples party AJK and was member of central executive committee[15] [16] He accompanied Benazir Bhutto to rallies and election campaigns. He was very good orator even Benazir Bhutto appreciated his quality of speaking.[17] [18] He represented Azad Kashmir Government in the United Nations regarding the Kashmir conflict.[16] [19] During many up and downs Ishaq Zaffar remained steadfast to Pakistan Peoples Party.From 1996 to 2001, he was senior minister in Barrister Sultan Mahmood's led PP government.[4] [20] He always supported the continuation of parliamentary mechanism and improvement through it .[20]

In July 2004 he was made president of Bhutto's PPP Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Despite zaffar's loyalty to the Party and supporting Barrister Sultan Mehmood in 1995 as president of party, Sultan did not accept Zaffar as president of party and formed his party Pakistan Peoples Muslim League[21] [22] Finally in 2006 Azad Kashmir elections, in an important step Mushraff granted his imprimatur and manipulated results[23] For Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan's son, Sardar Attique to become Azad Kashmir's Prime minister and Zaffar[24] was defeated as the prime minister candidate. Zaffar was appointed as Opposition leader of AJ&K constituent Assembly in 2006 July.

[4] [21]

Designations

Family

Ishaq Zaffar's cousin Sahibzada Irfan Danish also remained MLA from 1990 to 1991.[32] Hafiz Muhammad Shafi cousin of Ishaq Zaffar is among the spiritual personalities of vicinity. Zaffar's sister professor Anwar Kausar was a famous educationist and poet of merit. Zaffar married twice, he had 7 sons and 6 daughters; among them some held prominent seats Nargis Zaffar[33] his daughter remained member of Punjab Assembly Pakistan from 2008 to 2013.Ashfaq Zaffar [34] his son is senior vice president of PPP AJK and head of prime minister implementation committee(2012-2016). Food Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Javed Iqbal Budhanvi is his son in law.[35]

Death

Zaffar died of a heart attack on 2 September 2006 at Rawalpindi.[36] After his death, Zaffar's eldest son Ashfaq continued the family's political career by contesting election on his vacant seat.[37] [38]

Legacy

Zaffar is considered to be among the fair politician of AJK, even his political opponents such as Farooq Haider Khan,[39] Attique Ahmed Khan[21] and Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry[40] [41] appreciate his contributions to politics and people of AJK.

Though a member of Azad Kashmir's majority Gujjar community,[42] [43] Zaffar was respected for his neutrality and meritocracy[6] [43] and there were no allegations of corruption against him over his four-decade political career.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: اردو پوائنٹ پاکستان ۔ آزاد کشمیر میں اہم ادارے اور شاہراہوں کو صاحبزادہ اسحاق ظفر کے نام سے موسوم کیا جائے" شوکت جاوید ۔ اسلام آباد . Urdupoint.com . 2006-09-20 . 2016-03-10.
  2. Web site: Attique, Zaffar in run for PM - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-07-23 . 2016-03-10.
  3. Book: Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN's Guiding ... - Google Books . 9780761933137 . 2016-03-10. Banerjee . Paula . Chaudhury . Sabyasachi Basu Ray . Das . Samir Kumar . Adhikari . Bishnu . 2005 .
  4. Web site: Tariq Naqash . Leader of opposition in PaK assembly dies . Greaterkashmir.com . 2006-09-03 . 2016-03-12.
  5. Web site: Ishaq Zafar dies of heart attack - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-09-03 . 2016-03-10.
  6. Web site: Leader of opposition in PaK assembly dies. www.greaterkashmir.com. 2016-03-12.
  7. Web site: Engr.M.Azad Khan . Kashmir Sunshine: MUZAFFARABAD . Kashmirsunshine.blogspot.com . 2012-11-24 . 2016-03-12.
  8. Web site: metatags generator . Religious spots in ajk, beautiful places in ajk . Ajktours.com . 2016-03-07 . 2016-03-12 . 1 June 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160601082601/http://www.ajktours.com/index.php/2011/05/shrines-in-muzaffarabad/ . dead .
  9. Web site: Religious Tourism . Ajktourism.gov.pk . 1975-04-11 . 2016-03-12.
  10. Web site: Protests held against Interpol notices - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-02-05 . 2016-03-12.
  11. Web site: Shaken but not stirred: the movement against Zia - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2014-08-31 . 2016-03-10.
  12. Web site: AJK People's Party leaders arrested - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2005-04-16 . 2016-03-10.
  13. Web site: Fahim, Zafar to attend Muzaffarabad rally - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2004-12-13 . 2016-03-12.
  14. Web site: Democracy can end unrest: Benazir - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2005-04-05 . 2016-03-12.
  15. Web site: on the record . Archives.dailytimes.com.pk . 2016-03-10 .
  16. Book: The last colony: Muzaffarabad-Gilgit-Baltistan - P. Stobdan, D. Suba Chandran, India Research Press, University of Jammu. Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies - Google Books . 2010-07-12 . 2016-03-10. Stobdan . P. . Suba Chandran . D. . 9788183860673 .
  17. Web site: Benazir bhutto speech on death of sahibzada ishaq zafar azad kashmir . YouTube . 2010-07-26 . 2016-03-10.
  18. Web site: Manila Standard - Google News Archive Search.
  19. Web site: Yahoo! Groups . Groups.yahoo.com . 1999-02-11 . 2016-03-10 . 7 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507152520/https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/pakgovnet-kashmir/conversations/messages/6 . dead .
  20. Book: The Untold Story of the People of Azad Kashmir - Christopher Snedden - Google Books . 2011-07-05 . 9780231800204 . 2016-03-12. Snedden . Christopher .
  21. Web site: Services of Sahibzada praised at funeral - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-09-04 . 2016-03-12.
  22. Web site: Archived copy . 10 March 2016 . 28 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191128143514/http://www.urduwebnews.com/tag/urdu-column/page/7/ . dead .
  23. Web site: Ruling MC secures 20 seats, AJKPP 7: Manipulation of results alleged - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-07-13 . 2016-03-12.
  24. Web site: Attique, Zaffar in run for PM. 2006-07-23. www.dawn.com. 2016-03-09.
  25. Web site: Daily News - Google News Archive Search. news.google.com. 2016-03-03.
  26. Web site: Azad Jammu&Kashmir Legislative Assembly . Ajkassembly.gok.pk . 2016-03-10 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050849/http://www.ajkassembly.gok.pk/former_speaker.htm . dead .
  27. Book: Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN's Guiding ... - Google Books . 9780761933137 . 2016-03-12. Banerjee . Paula . Chaudhury . Sabyasachi Basu Ray . Das . Samir Kumar . Adhikari . Bishnu . 2005 .
  28. Web site: Kashmiris can never live with India: ex-minister - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2004-07-12 . 2016-03-12.
  29. Web site: Azad Kashmir mulling ban on forest cutting for next 10 years - India Environment Portal News, reports, documents, blogs, data, analysis on environment & development India, South Asia. www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in. 2016-03-10.
  30. Web site: Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly . Ajkassembly.gok.pk . 2016-03-10 . 12 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160212224126/http://www.ajkassembly.gok.pk/former_opposition_leader.htm . dead .
  31. Book: Sehgal, Ikram ul-Majeed. Defence Journal. 2005-01-01. Ikram ul-Majeed Sehgal. en.
  32. Web site: Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly . Ajkassembly.gok.pk . 2016-03-10 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032424/http://www.ajkassembly.gok.pk/former_members.htm . dead .
  33. Web site: Punjab Assembly . Pap.gov.pk . 2016-03-10.
  34. Web site: Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir . Pmajk.gov.pk . 1966-07-28 . 2016-03-10.
  35. Web site: 10,000 youths to be trained under BISP Waseela-e-Rozgar program: Javed Iqbal | Pakistan News . Pakistan.onepakistan.com.pk . 2012-08-09 . 2016-03-12.
  36. Web site: Attiq, Sultan expresses sorrow over Ishaq Zafar's death . PakTribune . 2006-09-02 . 2016-03-10.
  37. Web site: One killed, 3 hurt in AJK clash - Newspaper . Dawn.Com . 2006-10-30 . 2016-03-12.
  38. Web site: Ajk election: PPP announce list of candidates - The Express Tribune . Tribune.com.pk . 2011-06-10 . 2016-03-12.
  39. Web site: Real contest for AJK premiership between PPP leadership - The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune. 20 June 2011. en-US. 2016-03-10.
  40. Web site: administrator . Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry . Pakistantimes.com . 2012-03-31 . 2016-03-10.
  41. Web site: urdu column | Urdu WebNews | Page 7 . Urdu WebNews . 2016-03-10 . 28 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191128143514/http://www.urduwebnews.com/tag/urdu-column/page/7/ . dead .
  42. Web site: Famous Gujjars of Pakistan - By Azeem Qamar Gujjar . Gujjarnation.com . 2016-03-10.
  43. Web site: Roznama Dunya : شہر کی دنیا:-اسحاق ظفر سیاست میں رواداری کا نمونہ تھے ، عابد حسین . Dunya.com.pk . 2012-08-28 . 2016-03-10.

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