Malik Atta Muhammad Khan: My Guru and Murshad

He came, he saw, he co­n­quered. Malik Atta Muha­mmad Khan was born on 25th October, 1941 at Pindi Ghaib, District Attock. His Father, Nawabzada Malik Yar Muhammad Khan, was a nephew of Malik Ameer Muhammed Khan, Nawab Kalabagh, then he was adopted by his maternal grandfather, Sir Muhammad Nawaz Khan of Kot Fateh Khan, who had no male child, So Malik Atta became successor of Sardar Muhammad Nawaz Khan, who was owner of 84 villages.

Malik sahib died on 6th February,2020 and buried at Kot Fateh Khan. I know him from last 30 years. Its looking very difficult how this giant be introduced, rivulet cannot cause ripples in an ocean, Malik Atta Muhammad Khan was an ocean.

He was my ideal and Guru, ‘Peer-o- Murshad’. I wanted to discover him but could not. He was a remarkable horse rider. I first time saw him in Lahore in horse and cattle show at Fortress Stadium. Malik Att had very renowned class fellows and friendship with peoples of high echelons in powers including politicians (Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers), generals, judges, high bureaucrats and foreign diplomats of powerful countries. But I will not name anyone of them because their honour, respect and merits last only when they were in the chairs, but the moment the chairs slipped away, all theirs qualities transferred to the next incumbent in the chair, but Malik Atta accompanied all these qualities without any crutches of powers up to graves. He himself was a paragon of all virtues. He remained ever matchless and unbeatable.

He was a widely read person, I was newly CSS qualified, and these were my preliminary meetings with him, all my quantum of knowledge I sought during my CSS exams including history, literature, poetry vomited out before Malik Atta and soon after that I came to know that he had equal command over all these subjects. He used to say that Almighty Allah has given him more honour and reputation than Nawab Kalabagh and Sir Muhammad Nawaz Khan, both were his close relatives. According to him, from Australia to Atlantic Ocean and entire Europe, people feel proud in making photo with him. He had personal relations with Royal Families of UK

Malik Atta used to tell very interesting stories, when he were in jolly mood. Malik sahib was a wrestler and a learned man like Plato.

He was not a proud person, he used to make lot of exertions to cut woods and run the fodder machine for the livestock by his own hands. He freely mixed up with his employees and attendants. He was a well-dressed Dervish, who studied at Aitchison College Lahore and did his law degree from Oxford University. He was like a primeval Muslim, never have been seen bare headed. In the evening, he used to wear black turban and black clothes which looked very graceful to him. Normally, he attired in royal dress, Boski shirt of his own style and Gharay daar Latha shalwar. His moustaches were Indian Maharajas (Soruj Mahal and Prithvi Raj Chohan) style with refined form. He was my Pir-o-Murshid, Guru and will ever remain. Almost half a century, he remained matchless and unbeatable in fame, honour, respect, handsome, graceful, awesome and racial superiority (He was victim of superiority complex). Now on 7th February 2020, he went to his eternal journey, may Allah bestow him abode of perpetual pleasure. Amen.

— Prof. Malik Qayyum Awan