Gohar Ayub Khan

Gohar Ayub Khan was a Pakistani politician, business oligarch, army officer, and conservative figure of the Pakistan Muslim League, who held ministerial positions during the administration of prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He was the son of former president and field marshal, Ayub Khan, and played an influential role in sustaining his father's presidential rule after the 1965 presidential election. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and served in the Pakistan Army from 1959 to 1962. He resigned with the rank of captain and established a business conglomerate. He entered politics in 1974 and contested his first National Assembly election from Haripur. He later joined the Islamic Democratic Alliance in 1988 and became the 14th speaker of the National Assembly. He became the 20th minister of Foreign Affairs after securing his seat with a heavy margin in the 1997 general election. He later shifted to the energy department, serving as Minister for Water and Power from 7 August 1998 to 12 October 1999, when his term was abruptly ended by General Pervez Musharraf's coup. He subsequently retired from national politics and passed away peacefully after a brief illness on 17 November 2023. He was 86 years old and survived by his wife, son, and grandchildren. He was laid to rest at his ancestral village of Rehana.