Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fazal Elahi Chaudhry
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| فضل الہی چودھری | |
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| 5th President of Pakistan | |
| In office 14 August 1973 – 16 September 1978 |
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| Prime Minister | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
| Preceded by | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (Martial Law) |
| 8th Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 15 August 1972 – 13 August 1973 |
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| Deputy | Mohammad Haneef Khan |
| Preceded by | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
| Succeeded by | Sahibzada Farooq Ali |
| 6th Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 12 January 1965 – 25 March 1969 |
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| Preceded by | Mohammad Afzal Cheema |
| Succeeded by | A. T. M. Abdul Mateen |
| Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan | |
| In office 20 May 1956 – 7 October 1958 |
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| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Mubin-ul-Haq Siddiqui |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 14 April 1972 – 13 August 1973 |
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| Constituency | NW-36 (Gujrat-II) |
| In office 12 June 1965 – 25 March 1969 |
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| Constituency | NW-24 (Gujrat- I) |
| In office 8 June 1962 – 7 June 1965 |
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| Constituency | NW-24 (Gujrat- II) |
| Member of the Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan | |
| In office 19 May 1956 – 7 October 1958 |
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| Constituency | Gujrat District |
| Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab | |
| In office 7 May 1951 – 14 October 1955 |
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| Constituency | Gujrat-VII |
| In office 15 August 1947 – 25 January 1949 |
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| Constituency | Gujrat-VII |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1904 Kharian, Punjab, British India (now, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 2 June 1982 (aged 78) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Political party | Pakistan Peoples Party |
| Alma mater | Aligarh Muslim University (L.L.B) University of the Punjab (M.A) |
Fazal Elahi Chaudhry (born January 1, 1904 – died June 2, 1982) was an important Pakistani politician. He served as the fifth President of Pakistan from 1973 to 1978. Before becoming president, he was the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 1965 to 1969. He also served as the eighth Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 1972 to 1973.
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Early Life and Education
Fazal Elahi Chaudhry was born on January 1, 1904. His family was influential and lived in Marala village, near Kharian in Punjab Province. He began his higher education in 1920 at the famous Aligarh Muslim University. There, he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1924, focusing on civil law.
After that, Chaudhry went back to Punjab and studied at the University of the Punjab. In 1925, he received his Master of Arts (MA) degree in Political Science. He continued his studies and earned an advanced Master of Law (LLM) degree in 1927. After finishing his education, he started his own law firm in Lahore. He worked to protect civil laws and freedoms.
Political Journey
Early Political Steps (1930-1956)
Chaudhry first got involved in politics in 1930. He ran for the Gujrat District Board and was elected without anyone running against him. In 1942, he joined the All-India Muslim League. This was a major political party working for an independent Muslim state. By 1945, he became the President of the Muslim League in Gujrat.
He played a big part in spreading the Muslim League's ideas in his area. When Pakistan became independent in 1947, he was given an important role. He served as a Parliamentary Secretary and was part of Liaquat Ali Khan's first government. He held positions as the Minister for Education and Health. In 1951, he represented Pakistan at the United Nations. He was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in the same year.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker Roles (1956-1972)
In 1956, Chaudhry was elected to the West Pakistan Assembly. He became the first Speaker of the West Pakistan Legislative Assembly. He held this position from May 20, 1956, until October 7, 1958.
In 1962, he was chosen as the Deputy Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. This showed how much people respected his experience in parliamentary rules. He later joined the Convention Muslim League. After the 1965 presidential election, he was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He served in this role until 1969.
In 1970, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan as part of the Pakistan Peoples Party. In 1972, he was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
President of Pakistan (1973-1978)
In 1973, Fazal Elahi Chaudhry ran for president. He won the election against Khan Amirzadah Khan. He became president when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, became Prime Minister. Chaudhry was the first president from the Punjab region of Pakistan.
Under the new constitution of 1973, the Prime Minister had more power than the President. This meant Chaudhry's role as president was mostly ceremonial. He was a figurehead, meaning he had the title but not much direct power. Before this, the President had been the main leader of Pakistan.
After a military takeover in 1977, Chaudhry continued as president. However, he had no real influence over the government or the military. He decided to resign from his position. On September 16, 1978, he handed over the presidency to General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. General Zia-ul-Haq then became the sixth president of Pakistan.
Death
Fazal Elahi Chaudhry passed away on June 2, 1982. He was 78 years old and died from a heart problem.
