Funeral of Liaquat Ali Khan
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| Part of the aftermath of the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan | |
| Date | 17 October 1951 |
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| Venue | Karachi Polo Ground, Karachi, Pakistan |
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Personal Prime Minister of Pakistan
In popular culture  |
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Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, was buried in Karachi on 17 October 1951, one day after he was assassinated while addressing a public meeting in Rawalpindi.[1][2] His body was flown from Rawalpindi to Karachi, then the capital of Pakistan, on the night of 16 October.[3]
Funeral prayers were held at Karachi Polo Ground, where about a quarter of a million people gathered to pay their respects.[4] The cortege then moved slowly through streets lined with mourners before the burial in Karachi beside the resting place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.[4][5] A 41-gun salute was given.[6]
Liaquat Ali Khan had served as Pakistan's first prime minister since independence in 1947. On 16 October 1951, he was shot at close range while addressing a public meeting at Company Bagh in Rawalpindi.[2][7] He was taken to hospital and given a blood transfusion, but died shortly afterwards.[7]
His assassination created an immediate political crisis in Pakistan, but arrangements were quickly made to transport his body to Karachi for burial the following day.[3]
Funeral and burial
Liaquat's body was flown to Karachi on the night of 16 October 1951.[3] The main public funeral ceremony took place on 17 October 1951 at Karachi Polo Ground.[4] An estimated quarter of a million people were gathered to attend the funeral prayers.[4]
After the prayers, the cortege proceeded slowly toward the burial grounds.[4] Thousands of people lined the route, while cavalry of the Governor-General's bodyguard, wearing scarlet uniforms and carrying lances, accompanied the procession.[4] He was buried in Karachi on the afternoon of 17 October 1951.[6][4] A 41-gun salute was given in Karachi at the time of burial.[6] He was laid to rest beside Muhammad Ali Jinnah.[5]
Reaction
The assassination and funeral drew condolences from abroad. Jawaharlal Nehru described Liaquat as the dominant figure in Pakistan after Jinnah's death and as a steadying influence on the country.[7] U.S. President Harry S. Truman sent messages of condolence to Begum Liaquat Ali Khan and to Governor-General Khawaja Nazimuddin, describing Liaquat's death as a grievous blow to Pakistan and praising his leadership and statesmanship.[8]