Rawalpindi Assassination Mystery Remains Unsolved 75 Years After Liaquat Ali Khan Was Shot Seventy-five years after Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was killed in Rawalpindi, official inquiries and international probes have failed to uncover the conspiracy. A defining turning point in the turbulent political history of Pakistan unfolded on October 16, 1951, just four years after the nation was carved out of British India. The country's first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, stepped onto the podium at Company Bagh in the garrison city of Rawalpindi to deliver an address to a vast gathering. He had barely spoken the opening words of his speech, 'Baradaran-e-Millat' or brothers of the nation, when an individual seated in the front rows rose abruptly, drew a firearm, and discharged two bullets into his chest at close range. Panic swept through the park as the critically wounded leader collapsed on the stage. Fifty-six-year-old Liaquat Ali Khan was immediately transferred in critical condition to the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi. Medical teams made frantic efforts to save his life, but he succumbed to his severe wounds shortly after arrival. As a trusted associate of Pakistan's founding leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Liaquat had played an instrumental role in shaping the fragile nation's early administrative framework, foreign engagements, and governing institutions. His sudden, violent demise shocked the public and plunged the fledgling state into deep political uncertainty. Immediate Killing of the Gunman and Loss of Vital Clues The assassin was swiftly identified as Said Akbar Babrak, an Afghan national. Immediately following the gunfire, police officer Khan Najaf Khan issued an order to neutralize the assailant. Acting on those instructions, Inspector Mohammad Shah fired directly at Said Akbar, killing him on the spot. While this decisive action neutralized the threat, it permanently silenced the central figure who held the primary answers to why the assassination was orchestrated and whether others were pulling the strings. The immediate death of the suspect eliminated any opportunity for interrogation. Investigators were deprived of the chance to ascertain whether Said Akbar was acting as a lone extremist or functioning as a hired operative for a broader domestic or foreign conspiracy. In the years that followed, official inquiry commissions scrutinized the actions of the police, raising uncomfortable questions about why no serious effort was made to capture the shooter alive. Glaring contradictions in the testimonies offered by different police officials present at the scene only deepened public skepticism and fueled enduring suspicion. Background of the Assailant Said Akbar Babrak Detailed inquiries into the attacker revealed that Said Akbar hailed originally from the Zadran tribal community in the Khost province of Afghanistan. Historical records showed that his family and tribe had actively engaged in uprisings against the Afghan monarchy during that period. Following these conflicts, he crossed the frontier and settled in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, where he led a relatively low-profile existence prior to the attack. In Abbottabad, there were few outward indications that he possessed the capacity or motivation to orchestrate a high-profile political assassination. Authorities launched extensive background checks into his tribal affiliations, historical political rivalries in Afghanistan, and his day-to-day interactions within Pakistan. Despite exhaustive efforts, state investigators found no definitive proof connecting his tribal ancestry or cross-border connections directly to a coordinated plot against the prime minister. The Kashmir Policy Theory and Fractured Opinions The high-profile investigation was not limited to domestic policing agencies; British detectives from Scotland Yard were also engaged to assist in untangling the threads of the Rawalpindi shooting. Among the primary theories explored by investigators was the contentious issue of Pakistan's policy on Kashmir. Following the 1947 partition of the subcontinent, armed conflict erupted between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir, culminating in a United Nations-brokered ceasefire on January 1, 1949. Within Pakistan, a hawkish faction within political and military circles felt deeply aggrieved by the decision to halt hostilities, arguing that military operations should have pushed forward toward Srinagar. Intelligence gathered after the assassination suggested that Said Akbar had taken a personal interest in the Kashmir dispute. The inquiry commission examined whether frustration with Liaquat Ali Khan's diplomatic restraint over Kashmir motivated the Afghan shooter to carry out the attack. Nevertheless, after reviewing the available evidence, the commission concluded that this line of reasoning lacked sufficient substantiation to be deemed the definitive motive. Speculation Surrounding Lifestyle and Social Norms Another angle pursued during the probe centered on conservative grievances regarding the prime minister's personal life and family conduct. His spouse, Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan, was an educated, progressive woman who actively participated in public affairs, spearheaded social organizations, and did not observe the traditional veil or hijab. Elements within religious conservative circles had frequently voiced unease over her prominent public role and modern lifestyle. The inquiry investigated whether religious extremism or resentment toward the premier's modern household could have spurred Said Akbar to assassinate him. However, despite thorough checks, no documentary proof, personal writings, or credible eyewitness accounts surfaced to support this hypothesis. Ultimately, the commission dismissed the claim as unfounded speculation, determining that there was no evidentiary link between the premier's family lifestyle and the fatal attack. The Shadow of the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case The shooting took place in the immediate aftermath of serious internal turbulence within the country's armed forces. In March 1951, only seven months prior to the assassination, the Pakistani government had uncovered a clandestine military coup plot, remembered historically as the Rawalpindi Conspiracy. Senior military officers had coordinated to overthrow Liaquat Ali Khan's civilian administration, exposing a rift between the political leadership and elements of the military establishment. Given the proximity of that thwarted coup to the October shooting, rampant speculation emerged that the prime minister's assassination was a continuation of institutional power struggles involving the military, the civil bureaucracy, and competing politicians. While this suspicion has persisted in historical discourse, no inquiry managed to establish a verified trail of evidence linking the Rawalpindi Conspiracy figures directly to Said Akbar's actions in Company Bagh. A History of Violence in Liaquat Bagh Following the tragedy, Company Bagh was officially renamed Liaquat Bagh in honor of the slain leader. Yet the venue remained bound to Pakistan's political bloodshed. In March 1973, a major political rally led by Abdul Wali Khan of the Awami National Party came under heavy gunfire at this very location, resulting in multiple casualties among political workers and bystanders. Decades later, on December 27, 2007, Liaquat Bagh became the site of another tragedy that altered Pakistan's modern history. Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was targeted by gunfire followed immediately by a devastating suicide bomb blast as she exited the park after addressing an election campaign rally. The park has thus borne witness to the assassinations of two sitting or former prime ministers, cementing its grim reputation as a focal point of state tragedy. Seventy-Five Years of Unanswered Questions Three-quarters of a century after those two shots echoed across Rawalpindi, the full story behind the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan remains buried in unresolved inquiries and classified corridors. While the identity of the physical shooter was resolved within seconds of the gunfire, the larger architectural apparatus behind the act remains shrouded in secrecy. The sudden removal of Liaquat Ali Khan severely weakened civilian democratic leadership in Pakistan, opening space for unelected bureaucratic and military factions to consolidate influence over state affairs. The unanswered questions of October 16, 1951, do not merely represent a cold case from the past; they mark the exact juncture where the fragile trajectory of democratic governance in Pakistan began to fracture under the weight of unaccountable power. What this means for you Understanding the details of this historic assassination offers readers essential context regarding the systemic instability and structural civil-military imbalances in Pakistan. • Understanding Governance: The incident illustrates how the abrupt removal of an elected founding leader can derail the constitutional evolution of a young state. Readers gain clear historical context on how non-elected institutions stepped into the political vacuum. • Significance for Historians and Students: This case provides a textbook study of flawed investigative handling where the immediate elimination of a suspect destroyed essential forensic and conspiratorial evidence. It highlights why securing primary witnesses is fundamental to justice. • Lessons in Security Protocols: The failure to capture the assassin alive serves as an enduring lesson in VIP protection and counter-insurgency doctrine. Killing the lone operative instantly prevents intelligence agencies from unearthing the wider network behind the crime. • Regional Geopolitical Context: For observers of South Asian diplomacy, the controversy surrounding the 1949 ceasefire illuminates how early disputes over Jammu and Kashmir shaped radical domestic politics. These unresolved friction points continue to influence regional discourse today. Why this happened The assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan was driven by an intersection of regional geopolitical tensions and internal power friction, though inquiries never established a single conclusive motive. • Immediate Death of the Gunman: Police fatally shot the shooter, Said Akbar, seconds after the attack, shutting down any avenue for interrogation. This immediate elimination destroyed the primary bridge between the physical act and any underlying conspiracy. • Discontent Over Kashmir Ceasefire: The acceptance of the United Nations-backed ceasefire in January 1949 generated sharp resentment among hardline factions who demanded deeper military advances toward Srinagar. Said Akbar's purported interest in the conflict led investigators to treat this policy as a potential grievance. • Tensions Preceding the Thwarted Coup: The unmasking of the military coup attempt known as the Rawalpindi Conspiracy in March 1951 demonstrated severe institutional friction between civilian rulers and armed officers. This atmosphere fueled widespread belief that the assassination was tied to high-level factional struggles. • Inconclusive Official Investigations: Despite independent reviews by Scotland Yard and domestic inquiry commissions, a definitive motive could not be verified in court, leaving the underlying cause open to historical debate. Questions & Answers 1. When and where was Liaquat Ali Khan assassinated? He was assassinated on October 16, 1951, during a public rally at Company Bagh in Rawalpindi. 2. Who was identified as the shooter? The shooter was identified as Said Akbar Babrak, an Afghan national from the Khost region. 3. Why was the assassin not captured alive for interrogation? Under orders from police officer Khan Najaf Khan, Inspector Mohammad Shah fired immediately at Said Akbar, killing him on the spot. 4. What was Company Bagh renamed to after the incident? The park was renamed 'Liaquat Bagh' in memory of the assassinated prime minister. 5. What other major political assassination occurred at Liaquat Bagh? Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at the same venue on December 27, 2007, in a gun and bomb attack. 6. Was an international agency involved in the assassination inquiry? Yes, investigators from Britain's Scotland Yard were brought in alongside local commissions to probe the murder. https://trendkia.com/en/pakistan/rawalpindi-men-liaquat-ali-khan-ke-katla-ki-anasulajhi-paheli-pachahattara-barasa-bada-bhi-kyon-nahin-khula-sajisha-ka-raja-48385 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.