Biography of Col Muhammad Naqi (Late)

Born in 1928 in his native village near Palandri, Col. Naqi Khan had very good education. He was a brilliant student of Lawrence College Ghora Gali, from where he did his senior Cambridge in 1946 and decided to join the army as per family traditions.

He was selected by the Inter Services Selection Board as a cadet for regular commission in the British Indian Army after 2 years training course at the Military Academy Deradoon. Due to partition of the Indian subcontinent into two separate independent states of India and Pakistan, Col. Naqi Khan opted for Pakistan and was commissioned into the corps of artillery of the Pakistan Army, upon arrival in Pakistan, in 1947.

In his military career too he was known to be a brilliant officer. He qualified his gunnery courses in Pakistan and from the United Kingdom with distinction and became the instructor of gunnery in the School of Artillery Nowshera, at an early stage of his military career. Later he graduated from the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and was given the coveted post of Brigade Major of an infantry brigade.

As Lt. Col. he first commanded an artillery regiment and then held the post of General Staff Officer (GSO-1) of an infantry division, during the 1965 war on Lahore front. Then he decided to say good bye to the army to follow the footsteps of his illustrious and revered father.

Col. M. Naqi Khan left us heart broken and in tears because of his sudden accidental death. This was indeed a heart rendering and traumatic experience not only for his near and dear ones but for all and sundry all over Azad Kashmir and in Pakistan, who had known him.

At the time he was a minister in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government holding the important portfolios of health and food and was on the last leg of his election campaign trail when his jeep met an accident at about 7 p.m. and died together with his driver and two other close aids, Sardar Ishaq Khan and Haji Abdur Rahim, thus shrouding the entire constituency (Palandri subdivision of District Poonch) in shock and grief.

The election which was to be held only 12 hours later i.e. the next morning of 21st May, 1990, was postponed so that his untimely loss could be mourned.

Col. Naqi Khan was a dynamic personality and a brave leader. He belonged to a famous political family of District Poonch. His father, late Alhaj Colonel Khan Sahab Khan Mohammad Khan, Ghazi Kashmir and popularly known as Baba-e-Poonch and Sir Syed of Kashmir, was Member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly for 13 consecutive years from 1934 upto 1946, when he voluntarily stepped down and got Ghazi Millat Sardar Mohammad Ibrahim Khan elected in his place.

Col. Naqi Khan had inherited a rich political background that is why he decided to leave his military career prematurely to follow the glorious footsteps of his revered father in the field of politics.

Despite rich political family background the adjustment from his military to political career took almost a decade. Obviously, the norms and practices of the two professions are so different but then after this fairly long transit period he started shining on the political horizon like a bright and promising star.

Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan the then prime minister AJ&K had expressed to me his desire that Col. Naqi Khan should join the Muslim Conference so that they both could work together, like his illustrious father, Sardar Fateh Mohammad Khan Karelvi and Col. Naqi’s father, Alhaj Colonel Khan Sahab Khan Mohammad Khan, had worked together as the two MLA’s of District Poonch of Kashmir Assembly for once 13 long years.

Col. Naqi Khan eventually joined the Muslim Conference and was inducted straight away as a minister in the AJ&K government. After his untimely death, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, President of Azad Kashmir told me that the output of Col. Naqi Khan as a minister was better than all his other ministers put together.

Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum has recently also expressed similar sentiments and told me that impressed by his intelligence, commitment, experience and competence, the Muslim Conference was thinking of nominating him as their candidate for the president ship of Azad Kashmir after the elections but the destiny had not so ordained for him.

Col. Naqi Khan was a determined, selfless and highly dedicated leader who felt for his people and used to dedicate all his time in resolving the problems of all those who came to him, irrespective of any party affiliation. He was a beacon for his home constituency Palandri, a refuge for the down trodden and a true friend to all who knew him intimately.

He used to work for 16-18 hrs. a day into the late night. The Palandri Cadet College has become a reality today, only due to his untiring efforts and thus he has laid the foundation of sound education for his people and their future generations.

OLD PIC