Prominent civil servant and Pakistan movement worker, Abdus Salam Khan Suri, passed away on September 22, 2024, in Oak Brook, IL. His funeral prayers were held at Islamic Foundation, Villa Park, IL, on September 23, 2024, and he was buried at Darussalam Cemetery in Elmhurst, IL. He was 97.25 (100.25 lunar) years old.
During his century-long life, he witnessed many changes, evolutions, and revolutions in many domains: Science and technology, Wars, the end of colonization, the independence of Pakistan and India, the fall of East Pakistan, and many economic and political crises in Pakistan.
He also interacted with leaders such as Quid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah, Quaid-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, General Zia ul Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. He worked closely with Ghulam Faruque Khan (1899-1992) former Governor of East Pakistan (1962) and Minister for Commerce, Science & Technology (1964-67), Waqar Ahmed, finance adviser for Cotton Board, Pakistan, and Syed Abdullah Shah (1934-2007), who later served as Chief Minister, Sindh (1993-96), in formulating various commerce, economic and agricultural policies. As an Agriculture Economist, he wrote many speeches for President Ayub Khan and Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. After serving the Governments of West Pakistan and Sindh for more than three decades he retired as Deputy Secretary, Agriculture, in 1987.
He was born on July 25, 1927, in British India. His ancestral lineage connects to Sher Shah Suri and Khalid bin al-Walid. After completing his secondary and higher secondary education, he joined the Indian Commerce Department in Delhi in 1944. On August 7, 1947, he arrived with his family in Karachi via Ambala and Bahawalnagar rail route from Delhi. He lived in various immigrant (Mohajir) camps in Karachi, before settling in Nazimabad No III in 1954— where he acquired a 216 square yard plot via a house building corporation loan and built a house named “Darussalam.” Until the late 1980s, Nazimabad remained the preferred residential area by intellectuals and professionals. Former President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, and his family lived in “Darussalam” for a couple of years after his father returned to Pakistan (mid-1950s) on completion of his assignment in Türkiye.
Abdus Salam Khan received his BA (1953) from the University of Karachi, his M.Sc. (Agriculture Economics, 1967) from the University of Sindh, Hyderabad. In the late 1960s he was selected to pursue a doctoral degree first at American University Beirut, Lebanon, and later at North Dakota State University, USA, but in both instances, at the last moment, Wadera Inc. selected its own candidate.
Abdus Salam Khan wed Akhter Begum in November 1955. Prominent Urdu poet Raghib Muradabadi (1918-2011) penned the epithalamium (sahrah). Throughout his professional career he survived many challenges by holding steadfast to his faith (Iman). He never compromised on principles. He lived a life guided by the Islamic ethical and moral values. He raised his family on RizQ-e-Halal and educated and trained his children to follow high moral and ethical standards in life.
He loved cricket, during the 1950s he played cricket with little master Hanif Muhammed and his brothers (Wazir, Rais, and Mushtaq, Sadiq was too young back then) at Mughal Cricket Club, Karachi. He was an avid book reader and loved to solve crossword puzzles. Until his last breath he remained mentally sharp and alert.
Abdus Salam Khan in his autobiography titled “Mayri Zindagi Kay Jhurokay (Windows of My Life) has juxtaposed his family history and professional career with social, political, and economic changes spanned over the past nine decades.
Abdus Salam Khan was a kind and compassionate person who always thought for the betterment of others and never ever said anything negative about anyone. He believed in the “forget and forgive” philosophy to promote strong bonds between people. For the past five decades he took exceptional care of his mentally challenged son. He also helped the needy all over the world.
He is survived by five sons and two daughters: Professor Dr. Ahmed Shahzad Khan, Professor Ahmed Fuad Khan, Air Commodore Ahmed Salam Khan, Rabia Khan, Ahmed Nadeem Khan, Raheela Khan, and DA Ahmed Farid Khan; and seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
May Allah (SWT) accept his good deeds, bless his soul, and grant him the highest place in Janet-ul-Firdous. Ameen
