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Farooq Leghari

Farooq Leghari
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Farooq Leghari

Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari (b. May 29, 1940) was President of Pakistan from November 14, 1993 until December 2, 1997.

Leghari was born in Dera Ghazi Khan on May 29 of 1940. He comes from a political family that had been active in politics in this part of the world since the precolonial days. His father Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari and grand father Nawab Sir Muhmammad Jamal Khan Leghari had been ministers. After his initial schooling at the "Eaton" of Pakistan, Aitchison College, Lahore where he was the head boy and declared the Best Leaving Student of 1957, He graduated with honours from the Foreman Christian College, Lahore where again he was amongst the best students, he went on to study at Oxford University. After returning to Pakistan he joined the Civil service and served in the then East Pakistan now Bangladesh. On the death of his father he resigned from service and came back to his roots to look after the tribal affairs of his tribe. He is the head of the Leghari tribe. He joined the Pakistan Peoples Party, and was made the leader of that party upon the imprisonment of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. However, later Leghari was also imprisoned during the military regime of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, only to be freed upon the death of the general.

In 1993, he ran for President, and won over Wasim Sajjad. His time as President coincided with that of Benazir Bhutto's as Prime Minister, and two enjoyed good relations till Bhutto's hisband Asif Ali Zardari's corruption and interferance in the running of the state brought Leghari and Bhutto to a collision and Leghari dismissed the Bhuto government. In 1997 though, Bhutto was replaced and the general elections brought to power Nawaz Sharif, who was politically opposed to Leghari. Sharif and Leghari were opposed to each other on the independance of the judicary and when Sharif had the Supreme Court attacked, Leghari resigned.

Since then, Leghari has set up his own party. His new party has been in its first ever general elections did quite well and has about 50 legislators in the provincial and national parliaments. His son Awais Ahmed Leghari is the federal minister for Telecom and IT.

Preceded by :
Wasim Sajjad
Presidents of Pakistan Succeeded by:
Wasim Sajjad
Last updated: 08-04-2005 18:05:29
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