33 Facts About Farooq Leghari

Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was a Pakistani politician who served as the eighth president of Pakistan from 14 November 1993 until resigning on 2 December 1997.

Farooq Leghari was the first Baloch to be elected as President.

Farooq Leghari contested the 1977 he won the National Assembly Elections on Pakistan People's Party ticket and was appointed Minister for Industries.

Farooq Leghari remained active in politics starting his own Political Party "Millat Party" which was party of the "National Alliance" in the 2002 General Elections, the party merged into the PML in 2004.

Farooq Leghari returned to the National Assembly in 2008 Elections.

Farooq Leghari died from a long-term heart illness at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi on 20 October 2010.

Farooq Leghari was born on 2 May 1940 in Choti Zareen, a village located in Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, British India.

Farooq Leghari's family was a Baloch of Punjab and known for its wealth.

Farooq Leghari's mother was a Pashtun from Mardan district; one of his sisters married the son of the Nawab of Kalabagh.

Farooq Leghari's father took prominent part in the Pakistan Movement and was confined as a political prisoner in 1946.

Farooq Leghari went onto attend the Forman Christian College University where he gained BA with Honours in Economics in 1960.

Farooq Leghari went to United Kingdom to attend the St Catherine's College, Oxford where he received master's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Farooq Leghari was an avid and competitive sportsman and played tennis, captaining the Aitchison College Tennis team and became a regular on the polo field.

Farooq Leghari was the major landowner in the country and owned approximately 40,500 acres of land.

Farooq Leghari participated in general elections held in 1988 in DG Khan's constituency.

Farooq Leghari was appointed Minister for Water and Power under Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Farooq Leghari's term was abruptly ended by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan after his dismissal of Prime Minister Bhutto and successfully defended his constituency in general elections held in 1990.

Farooq Leghari served as Deputy Leader of the Opposition under Benazir Bhutto, serving in opposition against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Farooq Leghari was named and appointed Foreign Minister by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on 13 November 1993 but soon won the nomination for the presidency.

Farooq Leghari accepted the nomination and ran in the presidential elections against Wasim Sajjad, the Acting President and PML nominee by Nawaz Sharif.

On 13 November 1993, Sardar Farooq Leghari was appointed the President of Pakistan for a term of five years.

Farooq Leghari vowed to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan and expressed his support for Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Farooq Leghari supported the Bhutto administration's internal and foreign policies and staunchly backed Prime Minister Bhutto's initiatives at the national level.

Farooq Leghari met with Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and Queen Elizabeth when she paid a state visit to Pakistan during his tenure as president.

President Farooq Leghari backed Chief Justice Shah over the appointment and confirmations that created problems with the Prime Minister Bhutto who saw this as a conspiracy being hatch by the Chief Justice Shah.

The situation with Prime Minister Bhutto further escalated when President Farooq Leghari raised issue of senior ministers' involvement in corruption and Asif Ali Zardari's appointment as Investment Minister.

Farooq Leghari suspected Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari involvement in controversial murder of Murtaza Bhutto that occurred in 1996, despite Prime Minister Bhutto hinted Farooq Leghari's involvement.

The economic recession further escalated the situation and President Farooq Leghari surprisingly dismissed the Benazir's administration using the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution on charges of corruption, economic recession, lawlessness and extra judicial killings.

On 2 December 1997, President Farooq Leghari resigned from the presidency to avoid the possible impeachment which resulted in the resignation of the Chief Justice Shah, the same year.

Farooq Leghari's post-presidency marked with his active involvement in politics when he found the Millat Party which entered into a coalition of seven parties, known as the National Alliance, to participate in the general elections held in 2002.

In 2004, he left his own party and joined the PML and supported his son, Awais Farooq Leghari, becoming the cabinet member.

Farooq Leghari briefly fought a heart illness since 2000s and initial reports claimed that he was ill for some time, owing to complications with his heart.

Farooq Leghari died on 20 October 2010 in Rawalpindi due to a heart related illness and he was undergoing surgery at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi at the time of his death.