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Omar Asghar Khan

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Omar Asghar Khan
Ministry of Environment
In office
2 October 1999 – 18 December 2001
PresidentGeneral Pervez Musharraf
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
In office
9 September 2000 – 20 December 2001
PresidentGeneral Pervez Musharraf
Personal details
Born
Omar Asghar Khan

(1953-07-03)3 July 1953
Died25 June 2002(2002-06-25) (aged 48)
Karachi, Sindh Province
Resting placeAbbottabad, Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa Province
Nationality Pakistan
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Qaumi Jamhoori Party (National Democratic Party)
RelationsAli Asghar Khan (brother)
ParentAsghar Khan (father)
Residence(s)Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory
Alma materUniversity of Essex (BA)
University of Cambridge (MPhil)
OccupationPolitician and professor
ProfessionProfessor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
NicknameO.A. Khan
Military service
Allegiance Pakistan
Branch/service Pakistan Army
Years of service1971–1973
Rank Captain
UnitArmy Armoured Corps
CommandsOC Arrow Company, Armoured Corps
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1971

Omar Asghar Khan (3 July 1953 – 25 June 2002) was a Pakistani economist, social, political scientist. A professor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Quaid-i-Azam University, he was the founder of Qaumi Jamhoori Party (National Democratic Party).

Early life

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Omar excelled in sports in these institutions; "In his school days he was well-known for his exceptional sporting talents. He captained the school's swimming & hockey."[1]

Political activism

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According to Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy:

He, (Omar) and the organization he founded, Sungi, stood up resolutely to hostile maulvis opposed to education of girls and against the timber mafia in Hazara. As a member of Pervez Musharraf's cabinet, he was a voice for the poor and disenfranchised. Omar's achievements were extraordinary in a society so hostile to change and forward movement. He succeeded far better than most, with his unique mix of idealism and pragmatism. Many of us have our own reasons for being grateful to Omar. He was an open, caring, and courteous person who I had never seen being rude to anyone. I am deeply grateful to Omar that he encouraged me to speak and write about General Zia's fraudulent Islamic science at the peak of that repressive dictatorship.[2]

Work as Federal Minister under General Musharraf's interim government

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His works benefited him when Omar joined General Pervaz Musharraf's cabinet as Federal Minister for Environment, Local Government & Rural Development, Labor, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis after a bloodless coup in October 1999. According to some circles,[who?] the local body's plan[which?] was the brainchild of Omar Asghar Khan, who as minister, did the spadework.[citation needed] In his earlier days, he was very close to labour leaders and organisations. His policies in the environmental field went a long way in protecting the environment.

In December 2001, he resigned from the cabinet and launched a new political party, the Qaumi Jamhoori Party, to contest the general elections, but he died on 25 June 2002, before the elections.[3]

Death

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Omar died at the age of 48, (just a week before his 49th birthday). He was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his in-laws' residence in Karachi.[4] Khan's family continues to insist he was murdered, though the authorities still label his death as "not determined".[5]

References

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  1. ^ Omar Asghar Khan, sungi.org
  2. ^ Remembering Omar Asghar Khan, The Defence Journal, July 2002, www.defencejournal.com
  3. ^ Omar, Yasmeen (25 June 2016). "My father Omar Asghar Khan, my hero". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Omar Asghar found dead". DAWN.COM. 26 June 2002. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Omar Asghar's family wants no more 'probes': Five years of state apathy". DAWN.COM. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
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