गुल-इ-राणा ( Kumaoni) , image = Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan (1961).jpg , imagesize = , alt = , smallimage = , caption = Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan in 1961 , alongside = , predecessor = Mir Rasool Bux Talpur , president =

Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry Fazal Elahi Chaudhry ( ur, ; 1 January 1904 – 2 June 1982) was a Pakistani politician who served as the fifth president of Pakistan from 1973 until 1978, prior to the martial law led by Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq. He also serve ...

, primeminister = , succeeding = , successor = Muhammad Dilawar Khanji , footnotes = , signature = , signature_alt = , birthname = Sheila Irene Pant , birth_date = , birth_place =

Almora Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of th ...

, Agra and Oudh,

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

(present day Almora,

Kumaon Kumaon or Kumaun may refer to: * Kumaon division, a region in Uttarakhand, India * Kumaon Kingdom, a former country in Uttarakhand, India * Kumaon, Iran, a village in Isfahan Province, Iran * , a ship of the Royal Indian Navy during WWII See also ...

, India) , death_date = , death_place =

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

, Sindh,

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

, restingplace = , restingplacecoordinates = , citizenship = (1905–1947)
(1947–1990) , nationality = Pakistani , otherparty = , spouse =

Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...

(m. 1932; d. 1951) , partner = , relations = , children = , alma_mater =

University of Lucknow The University of Lucknow (informally known as Lucknow University, and LU) is a public state university based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Founded in 1920, the University of Lucknow is one of the oldest government owned institutions of higher ed ...

, occupation = Stateswoman , allegiance = , branch = , serviceyears = 1947–1951 , rank = US-O7 insignia

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...

(honorary rank) , unit = Pakistan Army Medical Corps , commands = Naval Women's Reserve Corps
Women's National Guard
Pakistan Army Medical Corps , battles = Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 , awards = , honorific-suffix = NI

OMRI Omri ( ; he, , ''‘Omrī''; akk, 𒄷𒌝𒊑𒄿 ''Ḫûmrî'' 'ḫu-um-ri-i'' fl. 9th century BC) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the sixth king of Israel. He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of ...

, honorific-prefix = Māder-e-Pakistan

Begum Begum (also begüm, bagum, begom, begam, baigum or beygum) is a royal and aristocratic title from Central and South Asia. It is the feminine equivalent of the title ''baig'' or '' bey'', which in Turkic languages means "higher official". It us ...

, term_start = 15 February 1973 , term_end = 28 February 1976 , governor_general = , order2 =

Spouse of the Prime Minister of Pakistan First ladies and gentlemen of Pakistan ( ur, ) is an unofficial title traditionally given, often interchangeably, to the wife or husband of the president and prime minister of Pakistan. The current First Ladies of Pakistan are Samina Alvi, wife ...

, party =

Muslim League Muslim League may refer to: Political parties Subcontinent ; British India *All-India Muslim League, Mohammed Ali Jinah, led the demand for the partition of India resulting in the creation of Pakistan. **Punjab Muslim League, a branch of the organ ...

, term_start2 = 14 August 1947 , term_end2 = 16 October 1951 , predecessor2 = ''Order established'' , successor2 = Shahbano Ashraf , primeminister2 =

, order3 = President of

All Pakistan Women's Association The All Pakistan Women's Association, or APWA, ( ur, آل پاکستان ویمنز ایسوسی ایشن) as it is commonly known, is a voluntary, non-profit and non-political Pakistani organisation whose fundamental aim is the promotion of mo ...

, office3 = , term_start3 = 14 August 1949 , term_end3 = 29 October 1951 , office4 = Pakistan Ambassador to the Netherlands , term_start4 = 1954 , term_end4 = 1961 , office5 = Pakistan Ambassador to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

, term_start5 = 1965 , term_end5 = 1966 , education = Master in Science (MSc)

Ra'ana Liaqat Ali Khan ( ur, , known as Gul-i-Rana; 13 February 1905 – 13 June 1990) was the First Lady of Pakistan from 1947 to 1951 as the wife of

who served as the 1st

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...

. She was also the first female and tenth governor of Sindh. She was one of the leading woman figures in the

Pakistan Movement The Pakistan Movement ( ur, , translit=Teḥrīk-e-Pākistān) was a political movement in the first half of the 20th century that aimed for the creation of Pakistan from the Muslim-majority areas of British India. It was connected to the per ...

, and a career economist, and prominent stateswoman from the start of the cold war till the fall and the

end End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: ** End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games **End (gridiron footbal ...

of the cold war. She was one of the leading women politicians and nationwide respected female personalities witnessed key major events in Pakistan. She was one of the leading and pioneering women figures in the

and served as the executive member of Pakistan Movement committee working under Muhammad Ali Jinnah. She also served as economic adviser to Jinnah's Pakistan Movement Committee and later became First Lady of Pakistan when her husband Liaqat Khan Ali became Pakistan's first

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

. rana liaqat ali khan as First Lady of Pakistan, she launched programs for woman's development in the newly founded country. Later, she would start her career as a stateswoman that would last a decade. In the 1970s, she joined hands with

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Zulfikar (or Zulfiqar) Ali Bhutto ( ur, , sd, ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو; 5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), also known as Quaid-e-Awam ("the People's Leader"), was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourt ...

's political movement and joined the socialist government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, elected prime minister at that time. She was one of the most trusted and close government and economical advisers to Bhutto and his government, and had played influential role and involved with many key economical decisions taken by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

led the appointment of Ra'ana as the

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Sindh Province Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

, and she took the oath on 15 February 1973. Ra'ana was the first woman Governor of Sindh as well as first Chancellor of

University of Karachi The University of Karachi ( sd, ; informally Karachi University, KU, or UoK) is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in June 1951 by an act of Parliament and as a successor to the University of Sindh (wh ...

. In 1977, Ra'ana along with Bhutto and his party, and won the parliamentary elections of 1977, but did not take the gubernatorial office due to martial law imposed by General

Zia-ul-Haq General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq HI, GCSJ, ร.ม.ภ, ( Urdu: ; 12 August 1924 – 17 August 1988) was a Pakistani four-star general and politician who became the sixth President of Pakistan following a coup and declaration of martial ...

, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army. Ra'ana went on to work and dedicated her life for the social and economic benefit of women of Pakistan till her death in 1990. She died in 1990 due to cardiac arrest and was buried in Karachi, with full state and military honours given to her in her funeral. Because of her services and efforts for medical and woman development and woman empowerment, Ra'ana is commonly known as "''Māder-e-Pakistan''" (English translation: ''Mother of Pakistan'').

Biography

Early life and education

Sheila Irene Pant was born in

in 1905 in a brahmin family that had adopted Chistianity. In 1930 she converted to Islam hence changing her name from 'Irene' to Ra,naa (Gul-i-Rana). She attended the

, where in 1927 she was awarded a BA degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Theology in Religious Studies. In 1929, she obtained a double MSc in Economics and Sociology. She began her career as a teacher in the Gokhale Memorial School after completing the Teachers Diploma Course from the

Diocesan College The Diocesan College (commonly known as Bishops) is a private, English medium, boarding and day high school for boys situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The school was established on ...

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

. She was appointed as Professor of Economics at

Indraprastha College Indraprastha College for Women, also known as Indraprastha College or IP College ( hi, इंद्रप्रस्थ महिला महाविद्यालय), is the oldest women's college in Delhi. Established in 1924, it is a con ...

, Delhi, in 1931 and met

Liaqat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theorist ...

in the same year when he visited to deliver a lecture on law. The couple married in 1932. At this time, she converted to Islam and took the name Begum Ra'ana Liaqat Ali Khan. After the reorganisation of the

, Begum Ra'ana devoted herself to the task of creating political consciousness amongst the

Muslim women The experiences of Muslim women ( ''Muslimāt'', singular مسلمة ''Muslimah'') vary widely between and within different societies. At the same time, their adherence to Islam is a shared factor that affects their lives to a varying degree ...

society of the British Indian Empire. During this time, Ra'anna became an executive member of Jinnah's Working Committee and served there as economical adviser. Her struggle for emancipation and support for Pakistan continued till the creation of Pakistan for Muslims of India in 1947.

Pakistan Movement

With her husband, Ra'ana strongly opposed the '' Simon Commission''. While a Professor of Economics, Ra'ana intensely mobilised students from her college and went to the Legislative Assembly to hear her husband's debate carrying placards of "''Simon Go Home''". With Liaquat Ali Khan winning the debate, she became an instant hero with her friends. She later sold him a ticket to a stage show to raise funds for flood relief in Bihar. Ra'ana proved to be Liaquat Ali Khan's constant partner and companion. She became politically involved with her husband and played a major role in the Pakistan Movement. She became a defining moment in Pakistan's history when she accompanied her husband to London, United Kingdom in May 1933. There, she and Khan met with Jinnah at Hamstead Heath residence, and successfully convinced Jinnah to return to the British Indian Empire to resume the leadership of the All India Muslim League. Jinnah returned to India, and Ra'ana was appointed as an executive member of the Muslim League and the Chairperson of the Economic Division of the Party. In 1942, when it became apparent that

Imperial Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...

was near attacking India, Jinnah summoned Ra'ana said to her "''Be prepared to train the women. Islam doesn't want women to be shut up and never see fresh air''". To undertake this task, Ra'ana organised Muslim women in the same year, when she formed a small volunteer medical corps for nursing and first aid in Delhi. Begum Ra'ana played an important role in creating political awareness among women. Ra'ana was among the aspiring women in South Asia and encouraged hundreds of women to fight for Pakistan shoulder-to-shoulder with men.

First Lady

Begum Liaquat Ali Meets President of MIT

Ra'ana was the first First Lady of Pakistan. As First Lady, she initiated reforms for woman and child development and social progress of women, and played a major role for women's part in Pakistan's politics. After the assassination of her husband

in 1951, Begum Ra'ana continued her services for the social and economic benefit of women of

till her death in 1990. One of the daunting challenges for her was to organise health services for women and children migrating from India to Pakistan. In 1947, as the refugees poured in from across the border, amidst the most pitiable of conditions with cholera, diarrhoea and smallpox being common sights everywhere, she called upon women to come forward and collect food and medical supplies from government offices. The women came forward despite the resistance they faced from certain sections of society, including certain newspapers where they were attacked in the most vicious manner by elements that did not want women to come out from their "''four walls''". She firmly believed that for a society to do justice to itself, it was pertinent that women played their due role in reforming society alongside the men. During this point in Pakistan's history there weren't many nurses in Karachi, so Begum Liaquat asked the army to train women to give injections and first aid. Women were thus trained in three to six-month courses and as such the para-military forces for women were formed. The Pakistan Army quickly established Army Medical Corps and recruited a large number of women nurses as army nurses. During this period, girls were also personally encouraged by Begum Liaquat to take up nursing as a profession. They were also taught the rifle drill, to decode ciphers, typing and a host of other duties so they could be useful in times of national crisis like the refugee crisis of 1947.

Initiatives for women

Ra'ana founded the Women's National Guard (PWNG), and helped established the Women's Naval Reserves in the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

, and was appointed as the Chief Controller. For her immense services to the military as a civilian, the Pakistan Army notably appointed her as the first woman

, and an honorary uniform was issued especially for her. The Pakistan Woman National Guard was intended to fight for women's rights and aimed to prevent brutal treatment of women, either received from their spouses or caused by domestic violence. At first, the organisation was successful and took strong initiatives in West-Pakistan to lower the rate of violence against women, as she was the organisation's president. But after her husband's death, Ra'ana left Pakistan as she was appointed Pakistan's Ambassador to the Netherlands. Following her departure, the Pakistan Women National Guard was soon disbanded due to financial distress and the government's apathy. However, the Pakistan Woman Naval Reserves still continues as of today where many women joined the Navy through this program. The program has lasting effects in Pakistan's Armed Forces, and the Army and Air Force later established a Woman Reserves program as part of her vision.

Establishment of APWA

In 1949, Begum Ra'ana arranged a conference of over 100 active women from all over Pakistan. The conference announced the formation of a

voluntary Voluntary may refer to: * Voluntary (music) * Voluntary or volunteer, person participating via volunteering/volunteerism * Voluntary muscle contraction See also

* Voluntary action * Voluntariness, in law and philosophy * Voluntaryism, reje ...

and

non-political Apoliticism is apathy or antipathy towards all political affiliations. A person may be described as apolitical if they are uninterested or uninvolved in politics. Being apolitical can also refer to situations in which people take an unbiased po ...

organisation for the social, educational and cultural uplift of the women, named

(APWA). She was nominated as its first president and unlike Pakistan Women National Guard, the APWA continued to grow as it continuously fought for women's rights in Pakistan. For its services, the Government of Pakistan established APWA College in Lahore as part of its struggle.

Career as stateswoman

After her husband's death, Ra'ana went on to start her career as a stateswoman that lasted more than 2 decades. In 1952, Ra'ana was the first Muslim woman delegate to the United Nations. In 1954, the Government of Pakistan had appointed her as Pakistan's Ambassador to the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, and also was the first woman ambassador of Pakistan. She represented Pakistan in the Netherlands until 1961 and was also the doyen of the

Diplomatic Corps The diplomatic corps (french: corps diplomatique) is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body. The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission ( ...

. In June 1966, she was appointed as Pakistan's Ambassador to Italy and stayed there until 1965. Later, she was directed to Tunisia as Pakistan's Ambassador to Tunisia and held this position until March 1966. Following her return to Pakistan, Ra'ana joined

Rana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics The Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics (also known as RLAK CHE) ( ur, ) is an all-girls college, established in 1952 in Karachi, province of Sindh, Pakistan. RLAK-CHE is a professional-level college offering numerous h ...

as Professor of Economics and stayed there until 1973. The Government College University awarded her an honorary doctorate in economics and conferred her with a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics in 1967.

Bhutto's companion

In 1972, as Pakistan was dismembered and going through an intense crisis, Ra'ana joined hands with then-President

and his political movement, and joined the socialist government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Ra'ana was part of Bhutto's Ministry of Finance and Economics and played a major and influential role in decisions being made concerning economics. Bhutto encouraged her to participate in upcoming elections, and won elections of 1973. Bhutto did not waste time to appoint Ra'ana as

. Ra'ana was the first woman governor of the province of Sindh and the first Chancellor of Sindh University and Karachi University. She continued her term until 1976 when new elections were held. Ra'ana again contested in the 1977 parliamentary elections but did not take the gubernatorial office due to martial law imposed by General

, Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. She was one of the personalities that argued against the martial law and against the execution of Bhutto. On the day when Bhutto was executed, Ra'ana was reported to be disheartened and emotionally distressed and cried over Bhutto's death for more than three days constantly. Ra'ana launched an anti-Zia campaign and fought against the military government of General Zia-ul-Haq. She single-handedly took on Pakistan's most powerful man, General Zia-ul-Haq, at that time. It was during the 1980s, when she, despite her illness and old age, publicly attacked the general for passing Islamic laws that were contradictory to Islamic teachings and clearly against women. The general, out of respect for her position in society and achievements, decided to leave her alone.

Death

Begum Liaquat died on 13 June 1990 and was buried next to her husband in the precincts of the Quaid-e-Azam's Mausoleum. With her has ended a historic period for the women and youth of Pakistan who, in future generations, will no doubt seek inspiration from Begum Liaquat's life and contributions to the emancipation of women.

Honors and legacy

Ra'ana is considered one of the greatest female leaders Pakistan has produced. In Pakistan, she is given the title of "''Mother of Pakistan''", received in 1950. Ra'ana continues to be seen as a symbol of selfless service to the cause of humanity and uplift of women. In recognition of her lifelong struggle for women's rights, she was awarded the United Nations Human Rights Award in 1978. Her many other awards and medals include the Jane Adam's Medal in 1950, Woman of Achievement Medal 1950, Mother of Pakistan in 1950,

Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-e-Imtiaz (; ) is one of the state organized civil decorations of Pakistan. It is awarded for achievements towards world recognition for Pakistan or outstanding service for the country. However, the award is not limited to citizens o ...

in 1959, Grand Cross of Orange Nassau in 1961 (the Netherlands), International Gimbel Award 1962, Woman of the World in 1965 chosen by the Turkish Women's Association, Ankara, and Vavaliera di Gran Croce in 1966 (Italy). * United Nation's Human Rights Award (1978) * honorary doctorate in Economics (1967) * Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1 March 1966) * Woman of the World, Turkish Women's Association (1965) * Grand Cross of Orange Nassau (1961) *

(1951) * Mother of Pakistan in 1950 * Jane Addams Medal in 1950 * Woman of Achievement Medal 1950

Eponymous

Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Government College of Home Economics (RLAK CHE), Karachi The Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics (also known as RLAK CHE) ( ur, ) is an all-girls college, established in 1952 in Karachi, province of Sindh, Pakistan. RLAK-CHE is a professional-level college offering numerous h ...

– The economics research institutes of the Government College University established in the 1960s in her honour. *Raana Liaquat Model Colony – a settlement in Karachi named after Ra'ana Liaqat Ali Khan.

Awards and honours

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...

honoured her with the highest military honour Nishan-e-Imtiaz. *

Queen Juliana Juliana (; Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina; 30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. S ...

of the Netherlands conferred on her the Grand Cross of Orange–Nassau. *Recipient of the International Gimbel Award for service to humanity (1962). *

United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights The United Nations Prizes in the Field of Human Rights were instituted by United Nations General Assembly in 1966. They are intended to "honour and commend people and organizations which have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and pr ...

for her outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights embodied in the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, ...

and in other United Nations human rights instruments (1978).

References

External links

Pictures of Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan's Visit to the USA

A Short BiographyProfile of Begum Ra'na Liaquat Ali Khan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Raana Liaquat Ali Spouses of prime ministers of Pakistan 1905 births 1990 deaths People from Almora Pakistani feminists Pakistani women economists Leaders of the Pakistan Movement Rana All India Muslim League members Converts to Islam from Christianity Muhajir people Kumaoni people Ambassadors of Pakistan to the Netherlands Ambassadors of Pakistan to Italy Ambassadors of Pakistan to Tunisia University of Lucknow alumni Pakistani female military officers Liaquat Ali Khan Military personnel from Karachi Politicians from Karachi Women in war 1900–1945 20th-century Pakistani economists Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau Recipients of Nishan-e-Imtiaz Pakistan Movement activists from the United Provinces Pakistani women ambassadors Indian emigrants to Pakistan National Guard of Pakistan