MIRPUR (AJK): Elderly Kashmiri politician and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir State Raja Muhammad Zulqarnain Khan has died in an Islamabad hospital after brief illness on Saturday.
He was 93, son of Raja Afzal Khan, he will be laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard at native village of Thaathee (Kasgumma) in Bhimber district on Sunday (November 8), at 11:00 a.m, family sources confirmed to APP correspondent.
Raja Zulqarnain Khan has life-time distinguished career in AJK practical politics as he was regarded as one of the prominent political and social personalities of the region, whose life reflects a blend of political struggle, entrepreneurial achievements, national commitment and public service.
Born on March 15, 1933, into the family of Raja Muhammad Afzal Khan, the hereditary ruler of Kasguma Jagir and ex governor of various regions of the pre-1947 Jammu Kashmir state in Dogra regime, Raja Zulqarnain Khan began his professional career by establishing a construction company in Karachi in 1958.
The company subsequently completed major construction projects in Pakistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
He was among the founding leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation League, established under the dynamic leadership of K.H. Khurshid, and served as its first Secretary General.
Raja Zulqarnain Khan entered electoral politics in the 1960s as a Basic Democracies (BD) member and Chairman of the Union Council Kasguma.
He was elected to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Samahni in the 1975 parliamentary elections, the first such elections held in the region, and secured a second victory from Bhimber in the 1985 general elections.
During the government of Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, he served in various important portfolios, including Minister for Finance, Planning and Development, Health and Revenue.
In 1996, he was elected as a member of the Kashmir Council. Following decades of political engagement, he was elected President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on August 2, 2006.
Raja Zulqarnain Khan secured the distinction of hoisting Pakistan’s national flag for the first time at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Sialkot on August 14, 1947 soon after historic announcement about emergence of Muslims separate homeland Pakistan.
Six decades later, on August 14, 2007, he hoisted the national flag once again at the President’s House in Muzaffarabad in his capacity as President of Azad Jammu Kashmir.
He played a significant role during his term as Chancellor of the state run University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, founding tge first World class science and technology university - the Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST). His efforts helped pave the way for the acquisition of 5,000 kanals of land for the university.
His contributions also extended to humanitarian and religious causes. He donated land for the construction of a mosque near his former residence at Haft Chinar in occupied Srinagar.
Despite his long political career, even his political opponents could not level corruption allegations against him. He consistently placed public service above personal interests, earning recognition for his commitment to the welfare of the people.
His life and career stand as a testament to political perseverance entrepreneurial success, national commitment and social welfare.