Malik Meraj Khalid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malik Meraj Khalid
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ملک معراج خالد
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| Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan | |
| In office 5 November 1996 – 17 February 1997 |
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| President | Farooq Leghari |
| Preceded by | Benazir Bhutto |
| Succeeded by | Nawaz Sharif |
| 10th & 13th Speaker of the National Assembly | |
| In office 3 December 1988 – 4 November 1990 |
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| Deputy | Ashraf Khatoon Abbasi |
| Preceded by | Hamid Nasir Chattha |
| Succeeded by | Gohar Ayub Khan |
| In office 27 March 1977 – 5 July 1977 |
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| Deputy | Abul Fateh |
| Preceded by | Sahibzada Farooq Ali |
| Succeeded by | Fakhar Imam |
| 5th Chief Minister of Punjab | |
| In office 2 May 1972 – 12 November 1973 |
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| Governor | Ghulam Mustafa Khar Hanif Ramay |
| Preceded by | Abdul Hamid Khan Dasti |
| Succeeded by | Ghulam Mustafa Khar |
| Federal Minister for Law and Justice | |
| In office 13 November 1973 – 20 March 1977 |
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| Prime Minister | Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto |
| Preceded by | Meraj Muhammad Khan |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Hafiz Pirzada |
| Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and under Developed areas | |
| In office 24 December 1971 – 1 May 1972 |
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| President | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
| Preceded by | Mahmoud Haroon (as Minister of Agriculture and Works) |
| Succeeded by | Ghous Bakhsh Raisani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 September 1916 Dera Chahal, Punjab, British India |
| Died | 13 June 2003 (aged 87) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Political party | Pakistan Peoples Party |
| Alma mater | Islamia College, Lahore |
Malik Meraj Khalid (Urdu: ملک معراج خالد; 1 February 1916 – 13 June 2003) was a Pakistani lawyer and politician. He served as the Caretaker prime minister of Pakistan from November 1996 to February 1997. He was also one of the first thinkers and founders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Born in 1916 to a poor farming family in Punjab, British India, he earned a law degree in 1942. He started his own law firm in 1948. Inspired by books about social fairness, he first worked to help people in his village learn to read and write. In 1967, he helped start the PPP and later held important government jobs. After the war with India in 1971, he was in charge of the Punjab Province. Meraj Khalid became the law minister in 1974. He also served as the Speaker of the National Assembly twice.
Later, his strong beliefs about social justice led to disagreements with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the 1990s. He was dismissed from his role in 1996. After this, he was appointed as the caretaker prime minister. Meraj Khalid then worked to bring together people who were against Benazir Bhutto. His efforts helped Nawaz Sharif and his party win by a lot in the 1997 elections.
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Early Life and Education
Malik Meraj Khalid was born in Dera Chahal. This was a small village near Lahore. His family was poor and worked on a farm. They belonged to the Awan tribe. In his early life, his family struggled to make a living. They grew crops for a local landlord. This landlord paid them very little money.
Even with these difficulties, Meraj Khalid stayed in school. He finished high school. Later, a landlord agreed to pay for his college education. He studied at Islamia College, Lahore. In 1944, he earned a law degree from Punjab University Law College. He also got a degree in public works. In 1948, he started working as a lawyer.
In 1965, he was elected to the Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan. In 1968, he joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He became the head of its Lahore branch. In 1970, he was re-elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a PPP member.
Important Government Roles
Malik Meraj Khalid was known for being kind and honest. He was a favorite of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto was the Prime Minister of Pakistan in the 1970s. Bhutto played a big part in Meraj Khalid's political journey.
In December 1971, Bhutto made him the Minister for Food and Agriculture. He also became Minister for Under-Developed Areas. In November 1972, he was put in charge of the party's work in Parliament. In 1975, he became the Minister of Social Welfare, Local Government, and Rural Development.
Serving in the National Assembly
After Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was executed in April 1979, Meraj Khalid became a member of the PPP's main committee. However, he left this position in January 1988.
He was elected to the National Assembly again in 1988. He was then appointed as the Speaker of the National Assembly. This meant he led the meetings of the National Assembly. But he lost the next elections in 1993. After that, he stayed away from politics for a while. During this time, he worked as the Rector (head) of International Islamic University in Islamabad in 1997.
Becoming Caretaker Prime Minister
In November 1996, President Farooq Leghari dismissed Benazir Bhutto's government. This was due to concerns about corruption and political violence. The President used special powers given to him by the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan.
Malik Meraj Khalid was asked to lead the temporary government. His job was to prepare for new elections. Even as prime minister, Meraj Khalid continued to live a simple life. His home in Lahore remained easy for people to visit.
Later Life and Passing
Malik Meraj Khalid passed away peacefully on 13 June 2003. He was 87 years old. He died at his home in Lahore. He was buried with full state honors in a local cemetery. He was survived by his wife and an adopted son.
An article about him in The Guardian newspaper mentioned his dedication. It said he was perhaps the only Pakistani politician deeply involved in community work. This was true even when he held high office. Whenever he was not in office, he would return to helping people at the local level. This earned him respect and affection from everyone. He was seen as a voice of reason among political extremes.
