Mohammad Ibrahim Khan Jhagra

Who is Mohammad Ibrahim Khan Jhagra?

Muhammad Ibrahim Khan was a leading politician of the NWFP or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Hailing from the outskirts of Peshawar area known as Khalisa, named after the Sikh invaders, he was well known for joining Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Pakistan movement, and was known by many as "the king maker of the frontier". He was popularly known for his resolve and aura and referred to informally by the name Jhagra Khan. Jhagra Khan was a former Congressite and was largely responsible for gaining support for the Pakistan Muslim League in the NWFP for Abdul Qayyum Khan, the first Chief Minister of the province after independence. He was the General Secretary of the PML until he died of throat cancer. He died in England where he was supposed to be treated; his family receiving condolences from many heads of nations including Queen Elizabeth II. He was well known throughout British India, especially in his native province, and was one of the few leaders Jinnah had personally tried, successfully, to recruit in All India Muslim League.

During his long political career he was requested by to take part in provincial elections to become Chief Minister but declined on a number of occasions. He become Governor upon the request of then Governor General Khwaja Nazimuddin; taking charge to make sure the Objective Resolution be implemented successfully in the province and to settle the Pashtunistan revolts instigated by Bacha Khan and his Khudai Khidmathgar movement. He was relieved of his posting by then Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, who had felt threatened by Khan's strength and popularity, especially amongst the various Princely States which existed during British rule, including the Nizam of Hyderabad and Khan of Kalat, both of whom were said to be amongst his closest friends. Khan's death came as a huge blow to the country and province in particular as he was the only figure keeping up support for the PML party. After his death Qayyum separated and formed his own branch of PML. After him the next general secretary of the PML was later to be former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He is buried at his hometown of Jhagra in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, close to Peshawar. He is the father of Muhammad Saleem Khan Jhagra, Former Federal Secretary of Local Government and of the Board of Investment, and of Iftikhar Ahmad Khan Jhagra, former PPP leader now PPP again, thrice member of the KPK assembly and twice provincial minister.