Chaudhry Muhammad Ali

Chaudhri Muhammad Ali (15 July 1905 – 2 December 1982) was a Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the fourth prime minister of Pakistan from 1955 until his resignation in 1956. His government oversaw the promulgation of the first Pakistani constitution, transitioning Pakistan from a dominion to a republic.

He resigned from the position of Prime Minister in 1956, and from the Muslim League as well, when he failed at healing rifts with Muslim League, and a new party, named as Republican Party. His credibility is noted for promulgating the first set of the Constitution of Pakistan lost political endorsement from his party when failing to investigate the allegations on vote rigging and the secret defections in favour of the Republican Party.

Early life and education Muhammad Ali was born in Jalandhar, Punjab on 15 July 1905 into an Arain Punjabi family.

After his matriculation, Muhammad Ali showed great aptitude for science, first moving to attend the Punjab University in Lahore where he read and graduated with BSc degree in chemistry in 1925. In 1927, Muhammad Ali attained MSc in chemistry from Punjab University, and lectured at the Islamia College until 1928.

Civil service career

British India In 1928, Muhammad Ali went to join the Indian Civil Service, first working as an accountant at the Audit and Accounts Service and was deputed to audit the Bahawalpur state.

Pakistan At the time of the India's partition in 1947, Muhammad Ali opted for Pakistan.

After the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, Muhammad Ali was moved as the Finance Secretary under Finance Minister Sir Ghulam Muhammad, along with Victor Turner, but this appointment lasted until 1948 due a cabinet reshuffle.

Finance Minister of Pakistan (1951–1955) In 1951, Muhammad Ali was appointed the Finance Minister by Prime Minister K. Nazimuddin and was announced to be kept in the Finance ministry in Bogra's Talent ministry in 1953.

Premiership (1955–1956) On 11 August 1955, Muhammad Ali was appointed the Prime Minister of Pakistan by then-Governor-General Iskandar Mirza, upon the dismissal of the Bogra's Talent administration.

He favored French architect Michel Ecochard over Greek architect Constantinos Doxiadis for the planning of the new capital in 1955, though the project nonetheless went Doxiadis in the 1960s.

It was during his term that the first Constitution of Pakistan was promulgated, on 23 March 1956, where the nation-state was declared as Islamic republic with a parliamentary form of government. His premiership was endorsed by President Iskandar Mirza and the three-party coalition government composing of Awami League, Muslim League and the Republican Party at the National Assembly.

Books

The Emergence of Pakistan, Research Society of Pakistan, 1967, 418 p. Ataturk, Ilaqi Saqafati Idarah, 1969, 320 p.