Sahabzada Yaqub Khan

Sahabzada Yaqub Ali Khan (Urdu: صاحبزادہ یعقوب خان; born 23 December 1920 – 26 January 2016) SPk,[1] was a Pakistani statesman, diplomat, military figure, pacifist, linguist, and a retired general of Pakistan Army.[2]

Yaqub Ali Khan صاحبزادہ یعقوب خان;
as a Colonel in 1950s
15th & 17th Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 11 November 1996 – 24 February 1997
President	Farooq Leghari
Prime Minister	Moin Qureshi
Preceded by	Asif Ahmad Ali
Succeeded by	Gohar Ayub
In office 21 March 1982 – 20 March 1991
President	Zia-ul-Haq (1982–88) Ghulam Ishaq Khan (1988–91)
Prime Minister	Mohammad Juneijo Benazir Bhutto
Preceded by	Agha Shahi
Succeeded by	Akram Zaki (acting)
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara
In office 23 March 1992 – August 1995
Preceded by	Johannes Manz
Succeeded by	Erik Jensen
Pakistan Ambassador to the United States
In office 19 December 1973 – 3 January 1979
President	Fazal Illahi
Prime Minister	Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Preceded by	Syed Mohammad Khan
Succeeded by	Syed Mohammad Khan
Military Governor of East Pakistan
In office 7 March 1971 – 6 April 1971
President	Yahya Khan
Prime Minister	Nurul Amin
Preceded by	VAdm Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Succeeded by	Lt.Gen Tikka Khan
In office 23 August 1969 – 1 September 1969
President	Yahya Khan
Preceded by	MGen Muzzafaruddin
Succeeded by	VAdm S.M. Ahsan
Personal details
Born	Mohammad Yaqub Ali Khan (1920-12-23)23 December 1920 Rampur, Uttar-Pradesh, British Indian Empire (Present-day India)
Died	26 January 2016(2016-01-26) (aged 95) Islamabad, Pakistan
Citizenship	British Subject (1920–1947) Pakistan (1947–2016)
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party (1974–77; 1988–96)
Alma mater	Rashtriya Indian Military College Indian Military Academy Command and Staff College
Cabinet	Zia administration Yahya administration Benazir ministry
Awards	Sitara-e-Pakistan
Military service
Nickname(s)	SYAK Prince Soldier
Allegiance	Pakistan
Branch/service	British Indian Army (1940–1947)  Pakistan Army (1947–1971)
Years of service	1940–1971
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	18th Cavalry, Armoured Corps
Commands	Eastern Command, East Pakistan 1st Armoured Division, Armoured Corps Command and Staff College Chief of General Staff
Battles/wars	World War II Siege of Tobruk Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War
S/No.	PA – 136

Born into an Indian nobility, he was educated in England and at the Indian Military College at Dehradun, then the Indian Military Academy and served during World War II as an officer in the 18th K. E. O. Cavalry Regiment of the British Indian Army. After the Partition of India in 1947, he opted for Pakistan and joined Pakistan Army where he participated in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. He was the commander of army's Eastern Command in East Pakistan. He was appointed as Governor of East Pakistan in 1969 and 1971 but recalled to Pakistan after submitting resignation amid civil unrest. In 1973, he joined the Foreign Service and was appointed as Pakistan Ambassador to the United States and later ascended as Foreign Minister, serving under President Zia-ul-Haq in 1982.

His stint as Foreign Minister played a major role in Soviet intervention in Afghanistan (1979–89) and took part in negotiations to end the Contras in Nicaragua (1981–87) on the behalf of the United Nations. In the 1990s, he served as an official of the United Nations for Western Sahara until reappointed as Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. After retiring from diplomatic services in 1997, he spent his remaining years in Islamabad and died in Islamabad in 2016.

Biography

Youth and World war II

Mohammad Yaqub Ali Khan was born into an aristocratic Royal Indian family in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, British Indian Empire on 23 December 1920.[3] The title, Sahabzada (lit. Young Prince), is an honorific bestowed on him to represent the Indian royalty. He was of Afghan descent and was ethnically a Pashtun who belonged to a Yousafzai tribe.

His father, Sir Abdus Samad Khan was an aristocrat and politician who served as chief minister of Rampur, and as British India's representative to the League of Nations. His ancestral roots traced back to Mirza Ghalib who was appointed teacher of Nawab of Rampur in 1857, and who travelled to Rampur twice, in 1860 and 1865.

He was educated at the Rashtriya Indian Military College at Dehradun, then the Indian Military Academy and gained a commission in British Indian Army in 1940 and attached to the 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry.[4]

In his military career he saw action during World War II and served in the North African Campaign where he was attached to 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry from April 1942. He was taken POW in North Africa in May 1942. In September 1943 he escaped from the Italian Prisoner of War camp P. G. 91 in Avezzano (with two other Indian officers) and was out for four to five months attempting to move south to Allied lines, but they were subsequently re-captured by German forces who put him in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany till April 1945 when he was released by the U.S. Army soldiers. During his time in German custody, he learnt languages by interacting with fellow prisoners and reading literature in those languages.

Upon returning to India in 1945, he was selected as an adjutant to Field Marshal Lord Wavell with an army rank of major. After hearing the news of partition of India and creation of Pakistan, he decided to opt for Pakistan, and initially was selected as Aide-de-camp to Muhammad Ali Jinnah– the first Governor-General of Pakistan.[4] It was then-Lieutenant S.M. Ahsan who was made the ADC at the behest of Lord Mountbatten, and Yaqub was appointed as commandant of the Governor-General's bodyguard for the first Governor-General which he led until 1948.[4] In the period 1948–49, he attended the short one-year course at the Command and Staff College at Quetta and graduated with a staff officer's degree.[5]

In 1951, he served in the Military Intelligence (MI) as lieutenant-colonel, and directed initiatives to analytical branch of the ISI for the whereabouts of the Indian Army but he reportedly struggled with providing factual intelligence that was provided to ISI.^:27–28[6]

He commanded the 11th P. A. V. O. Cavalry, Armoured Corps from December 1952 to October 1953.[7]

He was promoted to colonel in 1953 and went to Paris in France to attend the famed École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr where he graduated in 1954.

Upon returning to Pakistan, he was promoted to Brigadier in 1955 where he served as a chief instructor at the Command and Staff College.[8]

Staff and war appointments:1960–69

In 1958, he was appointed as the vice Chief of General Staff at the Army GHQ and later becoming the Commandant of the Command and Staff College in Quetta in 1960. In 1960 he was promoted to major-general and commanded the 1st Armoured Division of Armoured Corps and was said to have a portrait of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in his office.[9] As an armored commander, he arranged a course on philosophy on the Panzer doctrine to educate the armoured division on the tank battles and strategies.[9]

He participated in the war against India in 1965, having command of his 1st Armoured Division.[10] He helped develop the operational planning of the armoured vehicular warfare deployments against the Indian Army advances in Punjab and presented his views at the Army GHQ.^:22–23[11] Soon after, he was appointed as Director-General Military Operations (DGMO) by General Musa Khan and directed all formats of ground operations during the 1965 war against India.[1]

After the war, he was appointed as Chief of General Staff at the Army GHQ under army chief General Yahya Khan in 1966 and remained until 1969.[12]

East Pakistan: military advisor and governorship (1969–71)

Main articles: Cable 1971 and Admiral Ahsan Mission

In 1969, Lieutenant-General Yaqub Khan was posted to East Pakistan as the commander of Eastern Command in Dacca by President Yahya Khan and helped evaluate the command rotation of the Eastern military.^:359[13] Soon, he was appointed as Governor of East Pakistan where he began learning the Bengali language and became accustomed to Bengali culture.^:24[14]^:110[15] He was highly respected by the East Pakistani military officers due to his stance and professionalism and was said to be very well liked and respected in the East.[16]

He was known to be an unusual military officer who knew very well about "limits of force",^:62[17] and did not believe in the use of brute force to settle political disputes.[12] In 1969–71, he worked together with Admiral Ahsan in advising the Yahya administration in an effort to resolve the situation and restricted strictly the proposal of usage of military force in the province.[18]

At the cabinet meeting, he was often fierce and strictly resisted the usage of military option but was respected in the military due to his understanding of Bengali issues and whose colleagues often labeled him as "Bingos."[19] In 1970, he notably coordinated the relief operations when the disastrous cyclone had hit the state and gained prestige for his efforts in the country.^:114[20]

In 1971, he participated in the area contingency and fact-finding mission, which was known as the Ahsan–Yaqub Mission, to resolve the political deadlock between East Pakistan and Pakistan as both men argued that "military measures would not change the political situations".^:69–71[21]

In March 1971, he became aware of the rumors of "usage of military force" and sent desperate military signals to President Yahya Khan in Islamabad for a halt to the military solution.[22] After the resignation of Admiral Ahsan, he was ordered to use military force against the civil agitation led by the Awami League but refused to take this order and tendered his resignation to be posted back to Pakistan.^:71[19][21] His resignation came in the light of resisting the military orders and fiercely maintained to President Yahya that "military solution was not acceptable".[22]

Commenting on the situation, Yaqub maintained that: "[President] Yahya was also keen to impose the "open sword" martial law to roll back the situation as it was in 1969."[18] He lodged a strong protest against the military solution and maintained that the "central government had failed to listen to the voices of their co-citizens in the East."[22] To many authors, Yaqub Khan had become a "conscientious objector" in the military.[22]

He was posted back to Pakistan, joined the Army GHQ staff and participated in winter war against India in 1971 without commanding an assignment and retired from the military after the war, also in 1971.[23]

Foreign service

Ambassadorship to France, United States, and Soviet Union

After seeking the honorable discharge from the army, he joined the Foreign Service as a career diplomat in 1972, initially taking his first assignment as Pakistan Ambassador to France until 1973.^:185[24] In 1973, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him as the Pakistan Ambassador to the United States which he served in this capacity until 1979.^:185[24] He was sent Pakistan's envoy to United States when the foreign relations with the United States were cooling but he gained international prominence when he became involved with Egyptian ambassador Ashraf Ghorbal and Iranian Ambassador to the United States Ardeshir Zahedi to take part in defusing the siege of three federal buildings in the Washington D.C. by the group of American Muslims in 1977.[25]

In 1979, he was sent to Moscow and was appointed as Pakistan Ambassador to the Soviet Union where he worked towards building foreign relations with the Soviet Union by signing an educational accord.^:11–12[26] In 1980, he was reassigned in France again where he remained until 1982.^:185[24]

Foreign Minister and United Nations

Yaqub Ali Khan was brought in to the Zia administration as Foreign Minister in 1982 when Agha Shahi departed President Zia-ul-Haq's cabinet.[27] He was appointed Foreign Minister in the conservative-aligned government but Yaqub maintained his composure and his Western wit in the Zia administration.[27]

As Foreign Minister, he directed a proactive and keen pro-American policy and supported the U.S. sponsored clandestine program to arm the Afghan mujahideen against Soviet-sponsored Socialist Afghanistan.^:120–129[28] He advised President Zia-ul-Haq on many key matters and firmly had gripped the country's foreign policy on the track of pro-U.S. foreign policy as many military officers joined his Foreign ministry.^:277–278[29] During this time, the matters were kept out of the sight of the Foreign Office with Yaqub handling matters with the military.^:277–278[29] He continued his role as Foreign Minister after the general elections held in 1985 by the Prime Minister Mohammad Junejo.[25]

At foreign fronts, he played a crucial role in providing the support for his country's cover and clandestine nuclear development whilst maintaining a strong policy of deliberate ambiguity.^:170–171[30] In 1984, he reportedly issued a statement in Washington D.C. on Pakistan's massive retaliation when observing India's pre-emptive strikes on Pakistan's facilities, and made unsuccessful proposal to United States to put Pakistan under its nuclear umbrella.^:149–150[31]

In the 1980s, he provided his diplomatic expertise in resolving the Soviet–Afghan War when he explored the possibility of setting-up the interim system of government under former monarch Zahir Shah but this was not authorized by President Zia-ul-Haq.^:247–248[32] In 1984–85, he paid visits to China, Saudi Arabia, Soviet Union, France, United States and the United Kingdom to develop framework for the Geneva Accords which was signed in 1988.^:335[33] About the death and state funeral of President Zia-ul-Haq, Yaqub was earlier warned by Soviet Foreign Minister Edward Shevardnadze that Pakistan's support for Afghan mujahideen "would not go unpunished."^:407[34] Yaqub Khan, on the other hand, stressed the need for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by the Soviet Union.[35]

In the 1980s, he also managed to maintain Pakistan's close friendship with Iran and the rich Arab States during the Iran-Iraq war.^:xxx[14] After the general elections held in 1988 in the country, Yaqub was kept as Foreign Minister in the First Benazir ministry by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in order to engage in negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).^:196[36]

In 1988–90, he aided Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to reach agreement to sign an arms control treaty with her Indian counterpart Rajiv Gandhi.^:285[37] In 1990, he met Indian External Minister, I.K. Gujral to convene a secret message to Indian Prime Minister V. P. Singh to warn against an active conflict between two countries. ^:231–232[37]

After the general elections held in 1990, he was inducted in first Sharif ministry by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif where he remained until 1991.^:xxxvi[38] He once again put country's foreign policy to supporting U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in the Gulf War.^:77[14] After the Gulf War, Yaqub left his post as Foreign Minister following his resignation on 26 February 1991.^:225[39]

After his resignation, he went on to join the United Nations when he was named the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara in 1992 which he remained until 1995.^:194[40] In 1996, he was again re-appointed as Foreign Minister by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto but it was short-lived when his tenure was cut-short after President Farooq Leghari dismissed Benazir Bhutto's government.[4]

Although he retired from politics in 1997, Yaqub Ali Khan did provide his support to President Pervez Musharraf to stabilise his writ against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999 when he visited United States to provide legitimacy of military martial law.[41]

Post-retirement and death

In 1981, he was appointed as the founding chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Aga Khan University which he chaired for almost two decades until his retirement in 2001.[42] He was also a commissioner in the now retired Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict in New York City, United States.[43]

Yaqub Ali Khan was married to Begum Tuba Khaleeli of the Iranian Khaleeli family of Calcutta with whom he had two sons, Samad and Najib.[2] He was said to be proficient in seven global languages including English, Russian, French, Urdu, German, Italian, and Bengali languages.^:260[44] He died of an old age, at 95, in Islamabad where he was laid to rest in Westridge cemetery in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. His funeral services were attended by the Chairman joint chief General Rashad Mahmood, army chief General Raheel Sharif, air chief General Sohail Aman, naval chief Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah and other a large number of high-ranking civil and military officials and people from all walks of life.[45]

Autobiography

• Khan, Sahabzada Mohammad Yaqub Ali (2005). Strategy, diplomacy, humanity : life and work of Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan. Karachi: International Forum Takshila Research University. p. 396. ISBN 0-9755860-1-7.

See also

• Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara
• Timeline of Afghanistan (1982)

References

1. Cloughley, Brian. A History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1-63144-039-7. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
2. Roberts, Sam (28 January 2016). "Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistani Diplomat, Dies at 95". The New York Times. The New York Times, Pakistan Bureau. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
3. Rajagopalan, Rajesh; Mishra, Atul. Nuclear South Asia: Keywords and Concepts. Routledge, Mishra and Rajagopalan. pp. 169–170. ISBN 978-1-317-32476-8. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
4. Bangash, Yaqood Khan (27 January 2016). "Pakistan's prince soldier, diplomat, statesman". Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
5. Jafri, Iqbal (27 July 2010). "Civil-military relations". DAWN.COM. Islamabad: Dawn newspapers, Iqbal. Dawn newspapers. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
6. Sirrs, Owen L. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate: Covert Action and Internal Operations. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-19609-9. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
7. Punjab Cavalry by M. Y. Effendi, page 173
8. Staff college, Army. "Gallery Chief Instructors". armystaffcollege.gov.pk. Army ISPR. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
9. Zafar, M. (October 2000). "Prince, Soldier, Statesman: Sahabzada Yaqub Khan". www.defencejournal.com. Defence Journal. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
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15. Shah, Aqil. The Army and Democracy. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-72893-6. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
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17. Friend, Theodore. Woman, Man, and God in Modern Islam. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-6673-8. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
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22. Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh: Remembering 1971. Duke University Press. p. 225. ISBN 0-8223-5038-6.
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24. Hamburg, David A. Preventing Deadly Conflict. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7881-7090-4. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
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26. Pakistan Affairs. Information Division, Embassy of Pakistan. 1977. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
27. Editorial (27 January 2016). "Sahibzada Yaqub Khan". DAWN.COM. Dawn Newspapers, 2016. Dawn Newspapers. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
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33. Amstutz, J. Bruce (1994). Afghanistan: The First Five Years of Soviet Occupation. DIANE Publishing. pp. 335–. ISBN 978-0-7881-1111-2.
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42. "The Life and Work of Sahabzada Yaqub Khan" Archived 8 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine Aga Khan University News & Events
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• Indian Army List (April 1942, April 1945)
• Maj Gen Gurcharn Singh Sadu, I serve The Eighteenth Cavalry

External links

• Yaqub Khan – the man who reinvented himself by Khaled Ahmed (The Friday Times)
• SYK: The Man With Qualities Short biographical article by S. Abbas Raza
• Biographical article by M. Zafar in Defence Journal
• MAJOR-GENERAL SAHABZADA MOHD YAQUB KHAN (PA 136)

Military offices
Preceded by Sher Bahadur	Chief of General Staff 1966–1969	Succeeded by Gul Hassan Khan
Preceded by None	Commander of Eastern Command 23 August 1969 – 7 March 1971	Succeeded by Lt Gen Tikka Khan
Political offices
Preceded by Muzaffaruddin	Martial Law Administrator, Zone B (East Pakistan) 1969–1971	Succeeded by Tikka Khan
Preceded by Muzaffaruddin	Governor of East Pakistan 1969	Succeeded by Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Preceded by Syed Mohammad Ahsan	Governor of East Pakistan 1971	Succeeded by Tikka Khan
Preceded by Agha Shahi	Foreign Minister of Pakistan 1982–1991	Succeeded by Abdul Sattar
Preceded by Aseff Ahmad Ali	Foreign Minister of Pakistan (caretaker) 1996–1997	Succeeded by Gohar Ayub Khan
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Sultan Muhammad Khan	Pakistan Ambassador to the United States 1973–1979	Succeeded by Sultan Muhammad Khan