Sahibzada Muhammad Ishaq Zaffar
President of Azad Kashmir
In office
20 July 1991 – 29 July 1991
Preceded byMuhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan
Succeeded byAbdul Rashid Abbasi
Speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly
In office
29 June 1990 – 29 July 1991
Preceded byMohammad Ayub Khan
Succeeded byAbdul Rashid Abbasi
Personal details
Born(1944-09-12)12 September 1944
Bani Hafiz, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Died2 September 2006(2006-09-02) (aged 61)
Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan

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,[6] Hattian Bala which produced saints and spiritual leaders which are quiet well known in the locality.[7] His father's name was Hafiz Abdul Latif. Hafiz Jamal ud din was his great-grandfather.[8] 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.[6][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[12][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.

He was cherished by friends and equally by his political opponents for efficiently handling most complex situations for the government at the floor of the assembly and outside.

[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[7][43] and there were no allegations of corruption against him over his four-decade political career.

References

  1. ↑ "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. 20 September 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Attique, Zaffar in run for PM - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 23 July 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Banerjee, Paula; Chaudhury, Sabyasachi Basu Ray; Das, Samir Kumar; Adhikari, Bishnu (2005). Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN's Guiding ... - Google Books. ISBN 9780761933137. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tariq Naqash (3 September 2006). "Leader of opposition in PaK assembly dies". Greaterkashmir.com. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ishaq Zafar dies of heart attack - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 3 September 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 metatags generator (7 March 2016). "Religious spots in ajk, beautiful places in ajk". Ajktours.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Leader of opposition in PaK assembly dies". www.greaterkashmir.com. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Engr.M.Azad Khan (24 November 2012). "Kashmir Sunshine: MUZAFFARABAD". Kashmirsunshine.blogspot.com. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Religious Tourism". Ajktourism.gov.pk. 11 April 1975. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Protests held against Interpol notices - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 5 February 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  11. ↑ "Shaken but not stirred: the movement against Zia - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  12. 1 2 "AJK People's Party leaders arrested - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 16 April 2005. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Fahim, Zafar to attend Muzaffarabad rally - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 13 December 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "Democracy can end unrest: Benazir - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 5 April 2005. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "on the record". Archives.dailytimes.com.pk. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  16. 1 2 Stobdan, P.; Suba Chandran, D. (12 July 2010). 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. ISBN 9788183860673. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Benazir bhutto speech on death of sahibzada ishaq zafar azad kashmir". YouTube. 26 July 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Manila Standard - Google News Archive Search".
  19. ↑ "Yahoo! Groups". Groups.yahoo.com. 11 February 1999. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  20. 1 2 Snedden, Christopher (5 July 2011). The Untold Story of the People of Azad Kashmir - Christopher Snedden - Google Books. ISBN 9780231800204. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 "Services of Sahibzada praised at funeral - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 4 September 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ↑ "Ruling MC secures 20 seats, AJKPP 7: Manipulation of results alleged - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 13 July 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "Attique, Zaffar in run for PM". www.dawn.com. 23 July 2006. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  25. ↑ "Daily News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  26. ↑ "Azad Jammu&Kashmir Legislative Assembly". Ajkassembly.gok.pk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  27. ↑ Banerjee, Paula; Chaudhury, Sabyasachi Basu Ray; Das, Samir Kumar; Adhikari, Bishnu (2005). Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN's Guiding ... - Google Books. ISBN 9780761933137. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  28. ↑ "Kashmiris can never live with India: ex-minister - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 12 July 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  29. ↑ "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. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  30. ↑ "Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly". Ajkassembly.gok.pk. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  31. ↑ Sehgal, Ikram ul-Majeed (1 January 2005). Defence Journal. Ikram ul-Majeed Sehgal.
  32. ↑ "Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly". Ajkassembly.gok.pk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  33. ↑ "Punjab Assembly". Pap.gov.pk. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  34. ↑ "Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir". Pmajk.gov.pk. 28 July 1966. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  35. ↑ "10,000 youths to be trained under BISP Waseela-e-Rozgar program: Javed Iqbal | Pakistan News". Pakistan.onepakistan.com.pk. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  36. ↑ "Attiq, Sultan expresses sorrow over Ishaq Zafar's death". PakTribune. 2 September 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  37. ↑ "One killed, 3 hurt in AJK clash - Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 30 October 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  38. ↑ "Ajk election: PPP announce list of candidates - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  39. ↑ "Real contest for AJK premiership between PPP leadership - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  40. ↑ administrator (31 March 2012). "Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry". Pakistantimes.com. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  41. ↑ "urdu column | Urdu WebNews | Page 7". Urdu WebNews. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  42. ↑ "Famous Gujjars of Pakistan - By Azeem Qamar Gujjar". Gujjarnation.com. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  43. 1 2 "Roznama Dunya : شہر کی دنیا:-اسحاق ظفر سیاست میں رواداری کا نمونہ تھے ، عابد حسین". Dunya.com.pk. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
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