Iskander Mirza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iskandar Ali Mirza
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| ইস্কান্দার আলী মির্জা اسکندر علی مرزا |
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Mirza in 1956
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| 1st President of Pakistan | |
| In office 23 March 1956 – 27 October 1958 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Ayub Khan |
| 4th Governor-General of Pakistan | |
| In office 7 August 1955 – 23 March 1956 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Mohammad Ali Bogra (1955) Muhammad Ali (1955–56) |
| Preceded by | Malik Ghulam Muhammad |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| 4th Minister of Interior | |
| In office 24 October 1954 – 7 August 1955 |
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| Prime Minister | Mohammad Ali Bogra |
| Preceded by | Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani |
| Succeeded by | Fazlul Huq |
| Minister of States and Frontier Regions | |
| In office 24 October 1954 – 7 August 1955 |
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| Prime Minister | Mohammad Ali Bogra |
| Governor of East-Bengal | |
| In office 29 May 1954 – 23 October 1954 |
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| Governor General | Sir Ghulam Muhammad |
| Chief Minister | Abu Hussain Sarkar |
| Preceded by | Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Shahabuddin (Acting) |
| Secretary of Defence | |
| In office 23 October 1947 – 6 May 1954 |
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| Prime Minister | Liaquat Ali Khan (1947–51) K. Nazimuddin (1951–53) Mohammad Ali Bogra (1953–54) |
| Minister | Liaquat Ali Khan |
| Preceded by | State established |
| Succeeded by | Akhter Husain |
| Vice-President of the Republican Party | |
| In office 1955–1958 |
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| President | Sir Feroze Khan |
| Minister of Defence Acting |
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| In office 16 October 1951 – 17 October 1951 |
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| Preceded by | L. A. Khan |
| Succeeded by | Khawaja Nazimuddin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Iskandar Ali Mirza
13 November 1899 Murshidabad, Bengal Presidency, British India (now, West Bengal, India) |
| Died | 13 November 1969 (aged 70) London, England |
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest |
| Resting place | Imamzadeh Abdullah, Tehran, Iran |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom (1899–1947) (1958-1969) Pakistani (1947–1969) |
| Political party | Republican Party (1955–59) |
| Other political affiliations |
Muslim League (1950–55) |
| Spouses |
Rifaat Begum
(m. 1922–1953)Nahid Mirza
(m. 1954–1969) |
| Children | 6 |
| Relatives | Nawabs of Bengal (paternal) Tyabji family (maternal) |
| Residences | Dhaka, East Bengal London, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Military College Bombay University |
| Civilian awards | _-_ribbon_bar.gif){kind=small} Nishan-i-Lmar.gif){kind=small} Nishan-e-Pahlavi Order of the Indian Empire |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  British Indian Army Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1920–1954 |
| Rank |   Major-General |
| Unit | Corps of Military Police |
| Commands | Corps of Military Police East Pakistan Rifles |
| Battles/wars | Waziristan War Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 |
| Military awards | _Ribbon.png){kind=small} Order of the British Empire General Service Medal |
Iskandar Ali Mirza (born November 13, 1899 – died November 13, 1969) was an important politician and military leader from Pakistan. He was the fourth Governor-General of Pakistan from 1955 to 1956. Later, he became the very first President of Pakistan when the country became an Islamic Republic in 1956. He served as president until 1958.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Iskandar Ali Mirza was born in Murshidabad, which was part of British India at the time. This was on November 13, 1899. His family was very wealthy and well-known. They had close connections with the British royal family.
Mirza first studied at the University of Mumbai in India. After that, he went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. This is a famous military college.
Political Career and Leadership
After serving in the British Indian Army, Iskandar Ali Mirza joined a special government service. He worked as a political agent in the western parts of British India. In 1946, he became a joint secretary in the Ministry of Defence.
When Pakistan became an independent country in 1947, Mirza was chosen for a big role. He became the first Defence Secretary of Pakistan. In this job, he helped manage the country's military efforts. This included the first war with India in 1947.
In 1954, he was made the Governor of East Pakistan. This was his home province. His job was to help bring order during a time of unrest. Later, he became the Interior Minister of Pakistan in 1955.
From Governor-General to President
Iskandar Ali Mirza played a key role in removing the previous Governor-General. Because of this, he took over as Governor-General in 1955.
In 1956, Pakistan adopted its first Constitution. With this new law, Pakistan became a republic. Mirza was then elected as the country's first President.
His time as president was quite challenging. There was a lot of political instability. He often interfered with the government's work. This led to four prime ministers being dismissed in just two years.
End of Presidency
Mirza faced difficulties getting support for his re-election. On October 8, 1958, he took a surprising step. He declared martial law, which meant the army took control. He did this against his own political party.
He used his army commander, General Ayub Khan, to enforce this. However, their relationship soon became difficult. In the same year, General Ayub Khan removed Mirza from power.
After this, Iskandar Ali Mirza moved to the United Kingdom. He lived there for the rest of his life. He passed away on November 13, 1969, which was his 70th birthday. He was buried in Iran.
Many historians in Pakistan believe that Mirza's actions weakened democracy. They think he caused political problems in the country.
Family Life
Iskandar Ali Mirza was married two times. His first marriage was in 1922 to Rifaat Begum. They had two sons and four daughters together.
In 1954, he married Naheed Amirteymour in Karachi. She was also from an aristocratic family in Iran.
Honours and Awards
Iskandar Ali Mirza received several important awards during his life. These awards recognized his service and achievements. Some of them include:
- India General Service Medal (1909)
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal – 1935
- King George VI Coronation Medal – 1937
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) – 1939
- Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) – 1945
- Pakistan Independence Medal – 1948
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal – 1953
- Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi of the Empire of Iran – 1956
- Order of the Supreme Sun, 1st Class of the Kingdom of Afghanistan – 1958
Images for kids
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Iskander Mirza's State Funeral in Tehran's Sepahsalar Mosque, Iran.
See also
In Spanish: Iskander Mirza para niños
