MULTAN City News

Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain

Gilani 38th death anniversary today

From Nadeem Shah

MULTAN: The 38th death anniversary of Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain Gilani, father of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and uncle of former Punjab governor Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood, will be observed at Gilani House here on Ramazan 3 (today).

Alamdar Hussain Gilani had died in 1978, leaving a legacy of social services and spiritual links not only in south Punjab but also in various parts of Sindh. The Gilani and Makhdoom families have close links from south Punjab to Sindh and both are driving the PPP in the Punjab. The Gilani family has been a part of Makhdoomul Mulk family of Jamal Dinwali in Rahimyar Khan and Pagara family in Sindh. Makhdoomul Mulk married his three daughters in Gilani and Pagara families. He married his one daughter with Alamdar Gilani’s elder brother Syed Rehmat Hussain Gilani, his second daughter with Alamdar Gilani and his third daughter with Pir Sahib Pagara.

Alamdar Gilani focused his political struggle in the fields of education and health in south Punjab, setting up networks of hospitals and educational institutions in the region. He promoted the doctrine of peace, tolerance and respect. He was an enlightened, moderate and liberal person. Alamdar Hussain got his early education from Multan and Muzaffargarh because his grandfather Pir Sadaruddin Shah was serving as sub-divisional magistrate in Alipur. The veteran politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan was a class fellow of Gilani.

Gilani passed his BA from Multan Emerson College in 1941 and he was the second graduate in the whole Gilani family during that time when graduation was rare. He indulged in politics when he was a student and joined the Pakistan Muslim League and strengthened it under the leadership of his elders Syed Zainul Abideen and his uncle and PML Multan district president Ghulam Nabi Shah.

Alamdar Hussain Gilani was inducted as the health minister in Feroz Khan Noon’s cabinet and he established chains of District Headquarters Hospitals in Multan, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions. He also played a key role in establishing the Multan Nishtar Hospital, besides improving the Lahore Mayo Hospital. He had laid the foundation of LSMF Medical School at Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital. Alamdar Gilani was the first man in the history of Pakistan, who held the first local bodies in 1954 after the creation of Pakistan. He had made efforts to establish at least one library in each district and the Multan Municipal Public Library at Qila Qasim Bagh was the result of his efforts.

In the capacity of the then Punjab minister for Improvement (Housing), he developed Lahore Gulberg and Murree and motivated investors to invest in Murree, making it a busy place. Alamdar Gilani also established Anjuman-e-Islami with the cooperation of his brothers, lying down the network of educational institutions, including Government Wilayat Hussain Islamia Degree College, Alamdar Hussain Degree College and numbers of schools, Haram Gate Islamia High School, Daulat Gate Islamia High School for boys and girls, Gilani Law College and Raza Shah Public School.

Research papers written on Alamdar Hussain Gilani have unfolded that he bridged the most influential political families, ruling elites and powerful decision makers in Sindh and south Punjab, who played a key role in reducing hatred and misunderstanding between the two provinces. Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, former governor general Ghulam Muhammad, former prime ministers Khawaja Nazimuddin, Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan, Hussain Shaheed Sohrwardi, II Chundrigar, former Punjab chief minister Feroz Khan Noon and Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar used to visit the house of Alamdar Gilani.

The book ‘Who’s Who in the World’ mentioned Alamdar Hussain Gilani in its 1954-55 edition in recognition of his services in the fields of education and health. He was a key signatory to Pakistan resolution on March 23, 1940 and one of the creators of Pakistan Constitution 1956. He was the first victim of Field Martial Ayub Khan’s Elective Bodies Disqualification Order (EBDO).