Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistan’s former foreign minister and founding chair of the Aga Khan University’s Board of Trustees, passed away at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Begum Tuba Yaqub-Khan and sons Samad and Najib.
Sahabzada was a high-profile figure who held the most senior military and government positions in the Pakistan Government.
After the establishment of AKU – the first private university in Pakistan – Sahabzada became the founding chair of its Board of Trustees and played a pioneering role in the reshaping of the University for 16 years until his retirement in 2001.
Sahabzada was born on December 23, 1920 in Rampur in British India. He studied at the Rashtriya Indian Military College and joined the Indian Army. After independence, he opted for Pakistan where he went on to enjoy a distinguished career in the Pakistan Army.
After his retirement from the army, he embarked on a career as a diplomat, serving as Pakistan’s ambassador to France, the United States and the Soviet Union from 1972 to 1982. Later, he served as the foreign minister from 1982 to 1991, and then as the caretaker foreign minister from 1996 to 1997.
Sahabzada became an international figure when he played a central role in the UN-sanctioned negotiations to end the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan, and also took part in negotiations to end the civil war in Nicaragua.
He also served as the Special Representative of the United Nations for Western Sahara in 1990.
Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistan’s former foreign minister and founding chair of the Aga Khan University’s Board of Trustees, passed away at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Begum Tuba Yaqub-Khan and sons Samad and Najib.
Sahabzada was a high-profile figure who held the most senior military and government positions in the Pakistan Government.
After the establishment of AKU – the first private university in Pakistan – Sahabzada became the founding chair of its Board of Trustees and played a pioneering role in the reshaping of the University for 16 years until his retirement in 2001.
Sahabzada was born on December 23, 1920 in Rampur in British India. He studied at the Rashtriya Indian Military College and joined the Indian Army. After independence, he opted for Pakistan where he went on to enjoy a distinguished career in the Pakistan Army.
After his retirement from the army, he embarked on a career as a diplomat, serving as Pakistan’s ambassador to France, the United States and the Soviet Union from 1972 to 1982. Later, he served as the foreign minister from 1982 to 1991, and then as the caretaker foreign minister from 1996 to 1997.
Sahabzada became an international figure when he played a central role in the UN-sanctioned negotiations to end the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan, and also took part in negotiations to end the civil war in Nicaragua.
He also served as the Special Representative of the United Nations for Western Sahara in 1990.
