Siddiq Khan Kanju
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Siddiq Khan Kanju (born in Alipur Kanju, Kahror Pacca
), Lodhran
district in Punjab province
, Pakistan
, died in Kahror Pakka in July 2001) was a Pakistani politician and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
.
on non-party election, and served as a Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture. The government was dissolved in 1988 and he was appointed as a caretaker Education Minister.
During the first Benazir Bhutto
government, Kanju for the first time became a part of the opposition headed by Nawaz Sharif
. In the general elections of 1990, Kanju was for the third time elected Member of National Assembly from Lodhran
, and at the behest of his friend and mentor Hamid Raza Gilani, joined the Nawaz Sharif cabinet as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
(1990–1993). During this period in 1991 he got changed Lodhran's status to a district, which was a tehsil
of Multan District
.
In the General Elections of 1993, Kanju who was perceived as a success of the Muslim League
, lost his National Assembly seat from Lodhran district. Jang reported his failure was due to extensive travel made as Minister of State
and absence from the constituency. During the period 1993-1996 Kanju spent most of his time in Lodhran. He was again elected Member of National Assembly on Muslim League ticket. Once again he became part of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif's Cabinet, as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
, and served in this capacity until the Muslim League Government was dissolved by the military coup of 1999.
When Mian Nawaz Sharif left the country, Siddiq Kanju with his group of members joined the new faction of Muslim League headed by Chaudry Shujjat Hussain, former Interior Minister under Nawaz Sharif, and Mian Azhar who was a former Governor of Punjab.
During the local government elections of 2001, once again Kanju actively started campaign in his constituency. On 28 July when he was visiting a Counsellor shop in Kahror Pakka city, he was shot dead by three or four assassins along with MajorMuhammad Aslam Khan Joiya, ex MPA . One of his party workers were also shot. The place where Kanju died was the same where he gave his maiden speech as an incumbent in 1977 and started his career in politics.
Siddiq Kanju died at the age of 49 years. His burial was attended by thousands of people, and was reported as the largest after the burial of President Zia-ul-haq. People from all walks of life condemned this act, and President Musharraf responded it by saying it was a big loss. Interior Minister Moin-u-din Haider and Governor Sind,later Chairman Senate,acting Prime Minister and President Muhammad Mian Soomro
took special notice and directed IG Punjab to take strict action.
Abdul Rehman Kanju, son of Siddiq Kanju, later became the District Nazim of Lodhran. Two of assassins were arrested by the police later in 2002.
Kahror Pacca
Kahror Pakka is a town and Tehsil headquarters in Lodhran District of Punjab, Pakistan.Its co-ordinates are 29.6167 Longitude 71.9167, altitude 374...
), Lodhran
Lodhran
Lodhran is the chief city of Lodhran District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located on the northern side of River Sutlej.-Administration:...
district in Punjab province
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, died in Kahror Pakka in July 2001) was a Pakistani politician and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Pakistan)
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is the junior minister in the government and the deputy head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Foreign Minister. The current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is Ahmed Poria who took charge in July, 2011....
.
Education
Kanju had his early education from Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur, after completing his A-levels he went to Government College, Lahore, and graduated in English Literature. Afterward he went to Punjab University, Lahore and obtained an LLB.Politics
After completing his law studies he decided to enter politics from his home constituency Kahror Pakka. In the 1977 general elections, he ran for the Provisional Assembly seat, but the elections were postponed. Again in 1985 he became Member of the National AssemblyNational Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
on non-party election, and served as a Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture. The government was dissolved in 1988 and he was appointed as a caretaker Education Minister.
During the first Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
government, Kanju for the first time became a part of the opposition headed by Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
. In the general elections of 1990, Kanju was for the third time elected Member of National Assembly from Lodhran
Lodhran
Lodhran is the chief city of Lodhran District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located on the northern side of River Sutlej.-Administration:...
, and at the behest of his friend and mentor Hamid Raza Gilani, joined the Nawaz Sharif cabinet as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Pakistan)
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is the junior minister in the government and the deputy head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Foreign Minister. The current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is Ahmed Poria who took charge in July, 2011....
(1990–1993). During this period in 1991 he got changed Lodhran's status to a district, which was a tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
of Multan District
Multan District
Multan District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 3,116,851 of which 41.64% were urban. Its capital is the city of Multan....
.
In the General Elections of 1993, Kanju who was perceived as a success of the Muslim League
Pakistan Muslim League
The Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League in Pakistan. Unlike the original PML which ended in 1958 when General Ayub Khan banned all political parties, each subsequent Muslim League was in some way propped by the military dictators of...
, lost his National Assembly seat from Lodhran district. Jang reported his failure was due to extensive travel made as Minister of State
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Pakistan)
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is the junior minister in the government and the deputy head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Foreign Minister. The current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is Ahmed Poria who took charge in July, 2011....
and absence from the constituency. During the period 1993-1996 Kanju spent most of his time in Lodhran. He was again elected Member of National Assembly on Muslim League ticket. Once again he became part of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif's Cabinet, as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Pakistan)
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is the junior minister in the government and the deputy head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Foreign Minister. The current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is Ahmed Poria who took charge in July, 2011....
, and served in this capacity until the Muslim League Government was dissolved by the military coup of 1999.
When Mian Nawaz Sharif left the country, Siddiq Kanju with his group of members joined the new faction of Muslim League headed by Chaudry Shujjat Hussain, former Interior Minister under Nawaz Sharif, and Mian Azhar who was a former Governor of Punjab.
During the local government elections of 2001, once again Kanju actively started campaign in his constituency. On 28 July when he was visiting a Counsellor shop in Kahror Pakka city, he was shot dead by three or four assassins along with MajorMuhammad Aslam Khan Joiya, ex MPA . One of his party workers were also shot. The place where Kanju died was the same where he gave his maiden speech as an incumbent in 1977 and started his career in politics.
Siddiq Kanju died at the age of 49 years. His burial was attended by thousands of people, and was reported as the largest after the burial of President Zia-ul-haq. People from all walks of life condemned this act, and President Musharraf responded it by saying it was a big loss. Interior Minister Moin-u-din Haider and Governor Sind,later Chairman Senate,acting Prime Minister and President Muhammad Mian Soomro
Muhammad Mian Soomro
Muhammad Mian Soomro is a Pakistani politician who has been the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan since 2003. Soomro comes from a renowned political family of Sindh that has been active in public life since 1923...
took special notice and directed IG Punjab to take strict action.
Abdul Rehman Kanju, son of Siddiq Kanju, later became the District Nazim of Lodhran. Two of assassins were arrested by the police later in 2002.