Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was born on the 2nd of May in 1940. He went to Aitchison College where he received the Rivaz gold medal for the best leaving boy and a full College Blazer.
He read at Forman Christian College after which he went to Oxford University for his PPE degree. He read at St Catherine’s College at Oxford.
After his return from Oxford, he sat for his Civil Services Exam in 1964, which he passed as a position holder in East and West Pakistan and started his career as a civil servant before getting into politics in 1973. He was elected Senator in 1975. He contested the general elections in 1977 on the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ticket and became Minister for Industries. He led demonstrations against Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law and was made General Secretary of the People’s Party. He won the elections in 1988 and became Minister for Water and Power. He provided electrification to many villages in the deprived region of South Punjab. He managed to electrify thousands of hamlets in the rural areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and provided electricity for Fort Munroe, a hill station in the Tuman Leghari area of the Koh e Suleyman range. In 1993 he was made Foreign Minister for a month before he got elected as President of Pakistan.
Sardar Farooq Leghari initiated a lot of development work in the district of Dera Ghazi Khan. A few of his mega projects are The Dera Ghazi Khan Airport, Bridges over three hill torrents on the Koh e Suleyman highway connecting Punjab to Balochistan, many schools in the tribal areas including Roongan, Provision of gas in Dera Ghazi Khan city, construction of a network of drains for prevention of waterlogging and salinity, provision of clean drinking water supply schemes in deprived and poverty struck areas of D.G.Khan and Rajanpur district tribal areas in all tribes. He also introduced F.A.T.A. electoral reform whereby the people of F.A.T.A. could vote under the Principle of Universal Adult Franchise. He worked out and drafted a plan to channelize and brick line watercourses from canals to farms to mitigate water shortages. This brainchild of his was taken up by various governments and is still part of Pakistan’s agricultural policy.As President, he had the remodeling of the Taunsa Barrage done from which the Muzaffargarh canal link no 1 and D.G.Khan canal comes out and water is provided to Sindh also. The Taunsa Barrage was approved by President Leghari’s father, Nawab Mohammad Khan Leghari. He initiated a project from the Asian Development Bank in DGkhan to invest in clean drinking water due to which 28 tube wells and 5 new water tanks were constructed. New sewage lines were also laid in this project. In addition, 3 tube wells on the Shoria canal were laid and a water supply scheme given which served Shakoorabad, Shamsabad, Gulshanabad and increased water supply to Faridabad and Model Town. Sardar Farooq Leghari approved an Agricultural University and a campus of the Bahauddin Zakariya University for DG Khan. He along with Awais Leghari had a 500 bed Hospital and a Nursing School set up. He also had an I.C.U approved and set up in the DHQ Hospital in DGKhan. He approved numerous jeep-able roads in the mountains of Suleyman range and had many roads built in DGKhan and Rajanpur. He also had water purification plants initiated and water supply schemes given to deprived and backward areas of DGKhan and Rajanpur.
In his personal capacity, he donated land in Choti Zereen to build a school for children from deprived homes in collaboration with his Highness, Sheikh Zaid bin Nahyan which his heirs are currently running. He formed an NGO by the name of Rural development Organization that entails a micro-credit scheme for dispersal of interest-free loans to enable men and women in Choti Zereen and Kot Chutta to start up small businesses. This organization also works in the field of provision of medical help and educational scholarships. He had a traditional Mosque renovated with collaboration with his highness, Sheikh Zaid bin Nahyan and set up an Islamic Centre there where children learn the Quran and also acquire modern-day education. His heirs are continuing the upkeep of the Islamic Centre and the New Vision School and are also expanding the medical and educational fund.
Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was a pious and noble man. He belonged to an illustrious family and reached the topmost position in his field; that of President of Pakistan but he was never proud. He never missed a prayer and was a conscientious and hard-working person. He always put Pakistan first, before any tribal or party affiliation and did what he thought was correct for Pakistan. As a youngster, he was disciplined and in control. Not only did he do admirably academically in Aitchison but also excelled in sports. He was in the Oxford University Polo Club and earned a blue, a top distinction in Sports at Oxford.
He hunted and was an outstanding shot, competing in many shooting competitions. He was well-read, possessed a commanding personality, and firmly believed in justice. He passed away on the 20th of October, 2010.
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
Laurence Binyon
