CHAUDHRY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN

CHAUDHRY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN1893 - 1985

Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, who was elected Presidentof theGeneral Assembly today, was Pakistan's first Foreign Minister from l947 to 1954 and in that capacity headed Pakistan's delegation to the annual sessions of the general Assembly. From 1954 until 1961, he served as a member of the International Court of Justice in the Hague - He has served an Pakistant's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since August 1961.Zafrulla Khan was born in Sialkot now in West Pakistano on 6 February 1893, and was educated at the Government College, Lahore, and later at King's College, London.Hewas called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn, London., and subsequently practiced law in the Lahore High Court from 1914 to 1935.From 1926 to 1935, he was a member of the Punjab Legislative Council, and during this period from 1930 to 1932 he also served as a delegate to the IndidnRound TableConferences.He was elected President of the All-India Muslim League in 1931 and in 1933 served as a delegate to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on Indian Reforms. From 1935 to 1941 he waa a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council.,holdingthe portfolio of Commerce and Railways, Industriec and Labor, and Law and War Supply.In December 1939., Zafrulla Khan headed the Indian Delegation to the Sessionof theAusembly of the League of Nations and from October 1941 to June 1947, he surved as Judge of the federal court of India. During this period, he served, briefly during 19421 in China as Agent-General of the Government of India.Following the independence of Pakistan, Zafrulla KhanbecamePakistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs andCommonwealthRelations. In December 1947, and in that capacity until 1954headed Pakistants delegation to the United Nations General Assembly sessions and also tothe SecurityCouncil meetings on the India-Pakistan dispute during 1948 to 1952.In 1954,Zafrulla Khanwas elected a memberof the InternntionalCourt of Justice and served in that capacityuntilFebruary 1961, during which period he also became Vice-President of the World Court,In Augunt 1961, Zefrulla Khan was appointed by the Government, of Pakistan as the PermanentRepresentativeof Pakistan totheUnited Nations,Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan is the author of "Indian Case"; "TheCriminal LawJournal of India"; "Fifteen Years' Digest,"; and"Reprints of Punjab CriminalRulings, Vol, IV."

CHAUDHRY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN1893 - 1985

Following is brief life sketch of Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan,

Born on February 6, 1893, in Sialkot.Acquired primary education at the American Mission School, Sialkot.Saw the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement on September 3, 1904 in Lahore. (since that day Sir Zafarullah Khan considered himself to be an Ahmadi).Visited Qadian for the first time in September, 1905.Personally offered allegiance to the Promised Messiah on September 16, 1907.Graduated from the Government College, Lahore, in 1911.Went to England in August, 1911 and remained there uptil November, 1914. During this period he studied at Kings' College, London, and was called to the Bar having studied at Lincolns Inn. During this period Chaudhry Sahib also had the occasion to visit various places in England, Switzerland and Germany, where he zealously propagated articles of his faith.Practised as a lawyer in Sialkot, during the period January 1915 to July 1916.

CHAUDHRY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN1893 - 1985In March 1915, lectured before the Jamaat in Delhi on the topic "The need for religion".Practised in Lahore during the period August 1916 to 1935.Pleaded the case of the Jamaat of Monghir in the Bihar High Court, successfully in December, 1916.Remained the Amir of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Lahore during the period 1919 to 1935.Served as a lecturer in the Law College, Lahore, during the period 1919 to 1924.Delivered a laudatory Address before the Viceroy of India, on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, in June 1921.Presented the Book "Tuhfa Shehzada Wales" (A Gift for the Prince of Wales) to H.R.H the Prince of Wales, in February 1922.In December 1923, delivered a lecture for the first time in the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement on the topic "The Onslaught of the Movement on Christianity and its Effects".Read an exhaustive paper at the Conference of Religions held in the Habibiya Hall, Lahore, in January 1924.Served as Secretary to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, the second successor of the Promised Messiah (as) at the occasion of Shura (Advisory Council) in 1924. (Sir Zafarullah Khan had the privilege of serving in this capacity seventeen times).Was member of the delegation which represented the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement at the All Parties Conference held in 1924.Read the paper of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II at the Conference of the Worlds Religions held in Wembley Hall, London, in 1924 (Sir Zafarullah Khan also acted as Secretary to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II during his first tour to Europe).

Was elected a member of the Punjab Legislative Council in 1926.On September 2, 1926, the father of Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, Ch. Nasrullah Khan who was a companion of the Promised Messiah, breathed his last.In 1927, acted successfully as representative counsel for the Muslims of the Punjab in the contempt of court case against the Muslim Outlook.Presided at the Delhi Meeting of the All India Muslim League in 1931 and advocated the cause of the Indian Muslims through his presidential address.Participated in the Round Table Conferences held in the years 1930, 1931, and 1932.Visited Chicago for the first time and participated in the World Faith Congress held in the year 1933.Presented a Complimentary Memorandum to the Viceroy of India (Earl of Wellingdon) on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, in March 1934.Remained a member of the Executive Council of the Viceroy of India, during the years 1935 to 1941.Delivered a lecture on the topic 'The Message of Ahmadiyyat', in the year 1935.Became the Minister of Railways in May, 1935.On May 16, 1938, the mother of Sir Zafarullah Khan died.Wrote a book 'Meri Walda' (My Mother) in the year 1938.At the initiation of Sir Zafarullah Khan the Jubilee of the Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II was organised in the year 1939.In 1939, represented India in the League of Nations.

In 1941, delivered a speech on the topic "Foundation for a New World" which was broadcasted on All India Radio.Was appointed Judge of the Federal Court of India in September 1941, which post he held until June 1947.Was appointed the Agent General of India in China in the year 1942.Laid the foundation stone of a place of worship in Lagos in March 1943.In 1944, at the instance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, dedicated his entire property for the cause of Ahmadiyyat.Again in 1944, at the instance of Hazrat Kahlifatul Masih II, joined in the noble work of translation of the Holy Quran into various languages.In 1945, represented India as the Indian Government's nominee in the Commonwealth Relations Conference, where courageously spoke for the cause of Indias freedom.At the request of the Quaid-e-Azam, represented the Muslim League in July 1947 before Radcliffe Boundary Commission and presented the case of the Muslims in highly commendable manner.Was the Advisor on Constitutional and Legal Affairs to H.H. the Nawab of Bhopal, from June to December 1947.In December 1947, represented Pakistan in United Nations' General Assembly as the head of the Pakistan delegation and advocated the stand of the Muslim world on the Palestinian issue.Was appointed by the Quaid-e-Azam as Pakistan's (first) Foreign Minister which post he held from December 25, 1947 till 1954.During 1948 to 1954, represented Pakistan at the Security Council (UN) and admirably advocated the case of liberation of the occupied Kashmir, Libya, North Ireland, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Indonesia.Presented to the US president the second edition of the English Translation of the Holy Quran, in January 1951.Met with a major railway accident at Jhimper, in January 1953, from which he was miraculously saved from even the slightest injury.Represented Pakistan at the CENTO Conference held in Manila, in September 1954.In 1954, became Judge of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, which post he held till 1961.Laid the foundation of a place of worship in the Hague, in June 1955.

From July to September 1955, accompanied Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, during his second trip to Europe and served his as his interpreter.Inaugurated a place of worship in Hamburg, in March 1957.In March, 1958, performed Umra and visited the shrine of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Medina to pay homage; also met Sultan Abdul Aziz Ibne Saud and stayed in the royal palace as the Sultan's personal guest.Became the Vice President of the International Court of Justice, the Hague, in the year 1958, which post he held till 1961.In 1958, had a place of worship constructed in Daska, Sialkot and got the translation of the Tafsir-Saghir done of which all costs were borne by him.In December 1958, inaugurated a Convention in Rabwah, in which speeches in 52 languages were delivered.In 1960, at the request of an organisation of the US, wrote a book called: "Islam - its Meaning for Modern Man".From 1961 to 1964, remained Pakistans Permanent Representative at the UN.In 1962, met President Kennedy and discussed the Kashmir issue with him.From 1962 to 1963, was President of the UN General Assembly.In 1963, inaugurated a place of worship in Zurich.In 1963, visited USSR and met its leaders as well as some notable Russian Muslims.In November 1965, visited the Fiji Island and delivered a lecture.Performed Hajj in the year 1967.Translated the Holy Quran in English in the year 1970.In 1970, was elected President of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, which post he held uptil 1973.Stayed in England during the period 1973 to 1983.Came back to Pakistan in 1983 till his death in Lahore, on September 1, 1985, after a protracted illness.

Muhammad Zafarullah Khan's logical and forceful advocacy of the cause of the Arabs in particular, and his support to the aspirations of the subject nations of Africa and the Third World, in general, on the forum of the United Nations and outside it, won him universal appreciation and respect.The Statesman, Delhi, dated October 8, 1947, editorially observes:"For the first time the voice of Pakistan was heard in the counsels of the United Nations on a burning topic of world-wide significance when leader of this country's delegation, Chaudhry Zafarullah Khan, addressed the United Nations Palestine Committee at Lake Success on Tuesday. It was a telling speech which tore into shreds the specious pleas put forward by the advocates of the partition of Palestine. Chaudhry Zafarullah did not merely indulge in rhetoric when he described the partition plan as `physically and geographically a monstrosity', he proceeded to prove this by unassailable arguments. Answering the contention that the migration of more Jews into Palestine should be permitted because the Jewish displaced persons desired to go to that country, Pakistan's spokesman asked whether the Americans would consent to relax or abrogate their own immigration laws if displaced persons of various other nationalities desired to enter the United States and settle there? Would America, he further asked, agree to take in the five million displaced persons of the Punjab if they desired to leave the scene of their suffering and cross over to the United States. We have little doubt that the Arabs will rejoice to find the voice of Pakistan so powerfully raised in the United Nations in defence of their cause. The addition of the independent sovereign state of Pakistan to the comity of free Muslim peoples of the World is already beginning to have its effect on international affairs,"the paper concluded.

Al-Ayyam of Damascus in it's issue of 24 February writes:"Zafarullah Khan will be given a tremendous welcome in the Syrian capital. He raised his voice in defence of humanity, justice and righteousness at every political gathering and at every international forum. Zafarullah in the person who bent all his energies in representing the causes of the Arab countries and as such his name will ever be written in gold in the history of the Arabs. His conscience is saturated with faith; his conversation is marked with reason and logic. He always keeps in view true and unalloyed good of humanity. In welcoming Muhammad Zafarullah Khan today we are welcoming a person of faith, belief and humaneness who wants to see the establishment of a pure, clean and exemplary society in the world, who desires to bring about an environment of brotherhood and camaraderie in which human life could flourish unimpeded and no human being could usurp the rights of another fellow human being."

Some of his WritingsMessage of IslamThe Excellent Exemplar - Muhammad - The Messenger of AllahNature of Quranic TeachingsRe-Institution of KhilafatIslamic Concept of the StatePunishment of Apostacy in IslamThe Contribution of Islam to the Solution of World Problems

When he turned 90 a devoted admirer wrote to him:"You are ninety today; a record glorious in every respect, fulfilling in all dimensions of life; your equation with God being the most envious. I am sure generations to come would wish to emulate you. I am equally sure that future historians must see you very much bigger as their view would be un-jaundiced. Sooner or later your services to the Muslims of the Sub-Continent, particularly of Pakistan, must stand out in bold and lustrous relief in historical accounts."

The Canada Stary Weekly, Toronto, in its issue of May 28, 1949, says:"The man who more than any other single person has put Pakistan on the international map as a force to be reckoned with is Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan.Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, a former Foreign Minister of Pakistan and President of the Pakistan Legal Aid Association, says:"From Sialkot to the Security Council, from Round Table Conferences to international conferences, from the Join Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, from the Viceroy's Executive Council to the Pakistan Cabinet, from the Indian Assembly to the General Assembly of the United Nations and from the Federal Court of the sub-continent to the International Court of Justice, Chaudhry Zafarullah's contribution is clean and consistent, creditable and commendable."(Dawn, Karachi, March 3, 1964)

Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sent a message of appreciation to Chaudhry Muhammad Zafarullah Khan on his retirement from the Presidentship of the International Court of Justice at The Hague. His message read:"I wish to convey to you our deep appreciation for the services you have so selflessly rendered over several decades to the people of Pakistan as well as to the international community. As a leading member of the political movement, which led to the achievement of a homeland of the Muslims in the sub-continent and earlier as President of the All India Muslim League in 1931, you played a very significant role in the creation of Pakistan. As Foreign Minister of Pakistan for the first seven years after the birth of the country, you helped in establishing Pakistan as a state which commanded respect abroad and whose voice carried weight in international forms. Your services to Pakistan, however, did not end there. As President of the UN General Assembly and as a judge of the International Court of Justice you not only served the international community as a whole, but in doing so enhanced the prestige of Pakistan. I can say with full confidence that all of us shared the pride that one naturally felt at the respect you commanded in the international community and the United Nations in your various capacities."