Iskander Mirza
6 quotes
Biography
Iskander Ali Mirza was a Pakistani politician and military general who served as the fourth and last governor-general of Pakistan from 1955 to 1956, and as the first president of Pakistan from promulgation of the constitution in 1956 till his overthrow in a coup d'état in 1958. Declaring martial law and unilaterally abrogating the constitution on 7 October 1958, he appointed Ayub Khan as Chief Martial Law Administrator who later overthrew Mirza on 27 October 1958 and assumed the presidency.
"However, it must be plainly stated that while we are anxious to maintain friendly relations with India we must and shall defend our territory. We must maintain our territorial integrity by every means within our power."
"Democracy without education is hypocrisy without limitation."
"My cardinal error was that, I trusted persons whom I knew, and helped, for twenty years; I regarded them as reliable and trustworthy friends."
"Now, when a prime minister of the country comes to the president and tells him to shoot him, [that] he has made too many mistakes and he is almost weeping, the only conclusion the president can arrive at is the man has lost his nerves and is no longer able to continue as prime minister."
"When the history of our Country is written by objective historians, your name will be placed even before that of Mr. Jinnah."
"Iskander Mirza’s strong-armed diplomacy along with the able guidance of Prime Minister Sir Firoz Khan Noon’s government throughout the acquisition process was instrumental in achieving the desired results. It was the only time since the initial accession of the princely states in 1947-8 that Pakistan’s territory had increased."