Sadiq Hussain Qureshi

Nawab Sadiq Hussain Qureshi (July 25 1927 – 24 June 2000) was a Pakistani politician who served as both Governor and Chief Minister of Punjab under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s. A close aid of Mr. Bhutto during his time in power, he retired from all active politics after the government’s removal by the army in 1977.

He was born in the Indian hill station town of "Shimla", although his family belongs to "Multan". He is a direct descendant of the city’s famous saint Baha uddin Zakria from his father’s side. Educated at Aitchison College, Lahore (then known as chief’s college) he was forced into responsibility at a young age after his father was killed. At the time Sadiq was only 20 years old.

Belonging to one of Pakistan’s largest land owning families it was natural that he was to pursue a career as an agriculturalist. At one time the single largest land owner in Pakistan, he turned his attention to politics in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Starting on the district council level as a vice chairman, he rose through the political ranks, being elected as an Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA), a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and then being appointed advisor to the Governor. He assumed the post of Agriculture Minister Punjab in 1971. A member of the Pakistan Peoples Party he was chosen by Prime Minister Bhutto as Governor of the Punjab, a post he held from Nov 1973 to March 1975. He was then elevated to the position of Chief Minister Punjab, where he served till the imposition of Martial law in July 1977.

As well as his political posts, Nawab Sadiq Hussain Qureshi also held office as the president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation from 1971- 1976. During his time Pakistan won the first field hockey world cup in Spain (1971), finished runners up to India in the same tournament in Malaysia (1975), claimed a silver medal at the Munich Olympic Games (1972) and a bronze at Montreal (1976).

After the ouster of the Bhutto government in 1977, Nawab Sadiq Hussain Qureshi retired from active politics. He owned the Pepsi Cola factory in Lahore until the mid 1980s and after selling that concentrated on his land holdings in Multan. Despite offers during his later years he never held an elected office or participated in active politics again.

He had three sons and a daughter. He died at Lahore in June 2000.

He was a widely respected figure even after his death, especially in his native Multan and the province of Punjab, both of whom he served with great distinction throughout his life.Fact|date=January 2008

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box |title=Governor of Punjab
years=March 1974 - 13 March, 1975
before=Hanif Ramay| after=Ghulam Mustafa Khar

succession box |title=Chief Minister of Punjab
years=15 July, 1975 - 5 July, 1977
before=Hanif Ramay| after=Nawaz Sharif

External links

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Hockey_Federation]
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakistan_states.html]