1950 in Pakistan

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

1950 in Pakistan
««« 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945	1950 in Pakistan	»»» 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
Decades: 1940s • 1950s • 1960s • 1970s Centuries: 19th • 20th • 21st See also: Other events of 1950 List of years in Pakistan

Events

January

• January 1 Pakistani newspapers and journals banned in Afghanistan
• January 4 Pakistan recognizes the communist Peking government of China, which had claimed sovereignty last October 1.

January Meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers at Colombo moots the Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic Development in South and South-East Asia.

• January 30 - Indonesian President Suekarno is the first foreign head of state to visit Pakistan; he is given a warm welcome but without national anthem, since Pakistan does not have one yet.

March

• March 13-April 13 Constituent Assembly sessions (22 sittings)
• March 30 - Hurriedly prepared by Ahmad Ghulam Chhagla, the national anthem of Pakistan was played for the first time today during the Shah of Iran's visit

April

• 2 April - Liaquat Ali Khan visits Delhi for meetings with Indian Prime Minister Nehru.
• 7 April - Silver Jubilee

Do Ansoo, released April 7, is the first Pakistani Urdu film to celebrate Silver Jubilee (25 weeks); starring Santosh, Ajmal, Alaudin while the heroine is the new-comer Sabiha Khanum, who has appeared in a couple of other movies over the last few months; music from Mubarak, produced by Sheikh Lateef, directed by Anwar Kamal.

• 8 April - Liaquat and Nehru sign what becomes known as the Liaquat-Nehru Pact.
• The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, originally known as the Diocese of Karachi, erected on 20 May 1948, was elevated as the Archdiocese of Karachi on 15 July 1950.
• Fashion in Pakistan changed dramatically
• April 10 - Constituent Assembly affirms the Liaquat-Nehru Pact accoreded in New Delhi by the 2 Prime Ministers on April 8 to guarantee protection to minotities in both countries
• April 17 - National Museum was inaugurated today by Governor General Nazimuddin in the Frere Hall in the federal capital, Karachi. The world renowned archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler was among those present on the occasion.

May

• 3 - PM Liaquat Ali Khan and First Lady Rana arrive in US
• 26 - May 26 The first couple of Pakistan has decided to go on a holiday as official visit to US ends today. They are not expected back before July, and also plan to visit UK and Europe unofficially.

They arrived in Washington D.C. on May 3, in the US President’s special aircraft. The visit is described here as politically successful, but already there are seious questions in the minds of those who are concerned about the future direction of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Also, Liaquat’s statement supporting US action in Korea has not been taken in good spirit here, as it was made without consulting the Constituent Assembly or the cabinet. Is this a pointer that our profile in the international community will be shaded with a tinge of the capitalist superpower’s foreign interests?

June

• Defense expenditure reaches a 60% allocation of the national budget
• During his unofficial visit to London, the PM Liaquat has met Sikander Ali Shah, the exiled pir of Pagara (Sindh).

The young Pir of Pagara has been living in England ever since the colonialists hanged his father. Liaquat has promised to restore the influence of Pir Sikander Ali Shah of Pagara if he comes back. The critics may see this as yet another step in the Pakistan Muslim League's effort to enlist feudal support in areas where it cannot command a democratic following.

July

• 21 Three Norwegian and a Pakistani mountaineer are the first to reach 7,706m high Trich Mir, the highest peak of Hindu Kush and the 5th highest in the world

September

• September 30-November 28 Constituent Assembly sessions (16 sittings)

October

• 30 - PM inaugurates Peshawar University

November

• 30 - Lahore. Renowned poet, critic and educationist Mohammad Din Taseer died. His death is mourned in the literary circles of Lahore and elsewhere.

December

• Premier Sugar Mills (Mardan), the largest in Asia, inauguarted by the GG

Constitution clamour: Citizens demand elections

Apprehensive over the delay in constitution making, many concerned citizens have demanded fresh elections.

Entering the 3rd year of its existence Pakistan is still without a Constitution and the affairs of the state are being run ad hoc, on the basis of the India Act 1935, which is obviously insufficient to meet the needs of an independent country.

The present Constituent Assembly was elected in 1946 in the United India, and the changed geography of the region understandably call for a fresh mandate from the people. India, the rival neighbour not only completed its constitution in 1949 but has also had an election since then, which has given a fresh mandate to Nehru. Will our leaders read the writing on the wall?

Prime Minister bestows Sword of Honor on Cadet Aziz Bhatti as 1st batch passes out from Military Academy, Kakool.

Six Year Plan:

Pakistan has hurriedly drawn up a Six-Year Plan envisaging an expenditure of Rs 2,600 million following the meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers at Colombo earlier this year. The Plan envisages 32% of the development expenditure on agricultural development, 20% on transport and communications, 18% on fuel and power, 19% on industry and mining, and 11% on "social capital."

Major-General Iftikhar Khan, who was nominated the first native Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army, has been killed in aircrash on his way to UK for attending refresher course. His next in command also died in the same accident.

See also

• 1949 in Pakistan
• Other events of 1950
• 1951 in Pakistan
• Timeline of Pakistani history