:Shahryar Khan

{{Short description|Pakistan diplomat (1934–2024)}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = Nawabzada

| name = Shahryar Khan

| image = Shahryar Khan.jpg

| imagesize =

| title =

| office = Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board

| term_start = May 2014

| term_end = August 2017

| predecessor = Najam Sethi

| successor = Najam Sethi

| office2 =

| term_start2 = December 2003

| term_end2 = October 2006

| predecessor2 = Lieutenant general Tauqir Zia

| successor2 = Nasim Ashraf

| office3 = 20th Foreign Secretary of Pakistan

| term_start3 = 1990

| term_end3 = 1994

| predecessor3 = Tanvir Ahmad Khan

| successor3 = Najmuddin Shaikh

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|03|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bhopal, Bhopal State, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|03|23|1934|03|29|df=y}}

| death_place = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

| spouse = {{marriage|Minoo Khan|1958}}

| parents = Sarwar Ali Khan
Abida Sultan

| relatives =

| nationality = Pakistani

| residence = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

| alma_mater = Daly College
Oundle School
The Fletcher School
University of Cambridge

| occupation = Diplomat

| religion =

| signature =

| ethnicity =

| native_name_lang = ur

| native_name = {{nobold|شہریار محمد خان}}

}}

Shahryar Mohammad Khan ({{langx|ur|شہریار محمد خان}}; 29 March 1934 – 23 March 2024) was a Pakistani career diplomat who became Foreign Secretary of Pakistan in 1990, and remained so until his retirement from service in 1994. He later served as United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Rwanda (1994–1996), and wrote the book Shallow Graves of Rwanda on his experiences on what Rwanda went through. From August 1999, he intermittently served as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, and also served as the president of the Asian Cricket Council in 2016.{{cite web | url=http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/shehreyar-khan-becomes-president-of-asian-cricket-council/ | title=Shehreyar khan becomes President of Asian Cricket Council | date=20 August 2016 | publisher=Daily Pakistan | access-date=20 August 2016 | archive-date=22 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822033305/http://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/shehreyar-khan-becomes-president-of-asian-cricket-council/ | url-status=live }}

Early life and background

Shahryar Muhammed Khan was born on 29 March 1934 in the Qasr-e-Sultani Palace (now Saifia College), in Bhopal State (honoured with 19-gun salute until 1947) in British India.{{Cite web |url=https://exhibits.stanford.edu/1947-partition/catalog/gh485jy8250 |title=Oral history with Shahryar Khan, 2016 May 31 |access-date=23 March 2024 |archive-date=22 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222154712/https://exhibits.stanford.edu/1947-partition/catalog/gh485jy8250 |url-status=live }} He was the only son and male heir of both Nawab Muhammad Sarwar Ali Khan, the ruler of former princely state of Kurwai and Princess Begum Abida Sultan (Suraya Jah, and Nawab Gauhar-i-Taj), herself the Crown Princess and the eldest daughter of the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, Haji-Hafiz Sir Muhammad Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who reigned over the state of Bhopal after a prolonged era of the Begums regime (the queens), and his wife Begum Maimoona Sultan. Khan is descended from the royal family of former princely state of Bhopal where his settler colonialist ancestors had emigrated during first quarter of the eighteenth century from Afghanistan.{{Cite book|last=Mourad|first=Kenizé|title=In the City of Gold and Silver : The Story of Begum Hazrat Mahal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TbZyvgEACAAJ|year=2013|publisher=Full Circle|isbn=978-81-7621-237-3|language=En|access-date=7 June 2020|archive-date=24 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324174325/https://books.google.com/books?id=TbZyvgEACAAJ|url-status=live}}

Career, retirement and literary work

File:David Milliband with Mr Shahryar Khan.jpg at LUMS in 2014]]

He worked for a year with Burmah Shell Oil, and in 1957, joined the Pakistani foreign service. In 1960, he was posted as a Third Secretary in the Pakistani High Commission in London, and was promoted to Second Secretary in the Tunis embassy from 1962 to 1966. In 1976, Shahryar Khan became Pakistan's ambassador to Jordan (1976–1982) and the United Kingdom (1987–1990).{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaclub.com/shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=16862 |title=Cricket – A Bridge of Peace|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526070913/http://www.indiaclub.com/shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=16862 |archive-date=26 May 2011 |website=indiaclub.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dcu.ie/~cis/events/event-details.php?EventID=39 |title=Lecture by Ambassador Shaharyar M. Khan, UN special rep in Rwanda 1994-6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515050149/http://www.dcu.ie/~cis/events/event-details.php?EventID=39 |archive-date=15 May 2011 }}{{Cite journal|last=Khan|first=Shaharyar M|date=1991|title=Pakistan's Foreign Policy Challenges|journal=Pakistan Horizon|language=English|volume=44|issue=2|pages=9–24|issn=0030-980X|oclc=6015378168}} He also stayed as Pakistan's Ambassador to France (1999–2001) and chairman, Committee on Foreign Service Reforms, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997–1999).[http://www.ditchley.co.uk/page/310/the-prospects-for-pakista.htm "The prospects for Pakistan and its neighbourhood"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026024754/http://www.ditchley.co.uk/page/310/the-prospects-for-pakista.htm |date=26 October 2008 }} The Ditchley Foundation, 5–7 October 2007

Khan was teaching Pakistan's Foreign Relations at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) as part of the Social Sciences faculty.{{Cite web |date=23 March 2024 |title=Former PCB chairman and career diplomat Shaharyar Khan passes away |url=https://arab.news/jhybw |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=Arab News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=DRUMS Student Society Presents LUMS Quarterly Debates {{!}} Welcome to MGSHSS |url=https://mgshss.lums.edu.pk/news/drums-student-society-presents-lums-quarterly-debates |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=mgshss.lums.edu.pk}} He taught a course titled "Pakistan's Foreign Relations" in the Fall semester and a senior-level course titled "Critical Issues in Pakistan's Foreign Relations" in the Spring semester.{{Cite web |title=LUMS – Undergraduate Class Schedule (Fall) |url=https://old.lums.edu.pk/sites/default/files/resources-for-students/undergraduate_class_schedule_fall_2010_regular_0.pdf}}{{Cite web |title=LUMS – Undergraduate Class Schedule (Sprint 2010–11) |url=https://old.lums.edu.pk/sites/default/files/resources-for-students/undergraduate_class_schedule_spring_2010_2011_0.pdf}} At LUMS, he was also the patron of the [https://web.archive.org/web/20100331093934/http://www.lumun.org/ LUMS Model UN Society (LUMUN)].{{Cite web |date=23 December 2010 |title=LUMUN: 'Stop blaming others for Pakistan's problems' |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/93874/lumun-stop-blaming-others-for-pakistans-problems |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}

On 1 July 1994, he was appointed United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's Special Representative to Rwanda, succeeding Jacques-Roger Booh-Booh. As U.N. Special Representative, he represented the United Nations during the genocide and subsequent refugee crisis.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_n3_v31/ai_16435076/pg_6 "Massacres, 'mindless violence and carnage' rage in Rwanda"], UN Chronicle, September 1994

In 2005, he was made an honorary fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.[https://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/fellowship/honorary-fellows Corpus Christi College honorary fellows] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127145208/http://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/fellowship/honorary-fellows/ |date=27 January 2014 }}

In his retirement, Shahryar Khan wrote a number of books. The Begums of Bhopal is a history of the princely state of Bhopal.{{Cite book|title=Le royaume des bégums: une dynastie de femmes dans l'empire des Indes|publisher=Fayard|location=Paris|isbn=978-2-213-60964-5|oclc=48530890|language=Fr|first=Shaharyar M|last=Khan|year=2001}}{{Cite journal|last1=Khan|first1=Shaharyar M|last2=Ansari|first2=Sarah|date=2001|title=Books Reviewed - The Begums of Bhopal: A Dynasty of Women Rulers in Raj India|journal=The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History|language=English|volume=29|issue=2|pages=166|issn=0308-6534|oclc=93448821}}{{Cite book|last=Khan|first=Shaharyar M|title=Bhopal connections: vignettes of royal rule|date=2017|isbn=978-93-5194-197-2|language=English|oclc=1004751938}} The Shallow Graves of Rwanda{{Cite book|last=Khan|first=Shaharyar M|title=The shallow graves of Rwanda|date=2000|publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=978-1-86064-616-4|location=London; New York|language=English|oclc=1048064343}} is an eye-witness account of his two-year stay in a country ravaged by genocide.{{Cite journal|last1=Khan|first1=Shaharyar M|last2=Straus|first2=Scott|date=2002|title=BOOK REVIEWS – POLITICS – The Shallow Graves of Rwanda.|journal=African Studies Review|language=English|volume=45|issue=3|pages=141|doi=10.2307/1515139|jstor=1515139|s2cid=221275139|issn=0002-0206|oclc=97793414}}{{Cite journal|last1=Khan|first1=Shaharyar M|last2=Forbes|first2=Geraldine|year=2002|title=Reviews of Books - ASIA - The Begums of Bhopal: A Dynasty of Women Rulers in Raj India.|journal=The American Historical Review|location=Washington, etc.|publisher=American Historical Association [etc.]|volume=107|issue=2|page=528|doi=10.1086/532332 |jstor=10.1086/532332 |issn=0002-8762|oclc=95463311}}{{Cite book |last=Khan|first=Shaharyar M|date=2004|chapter=The United Nations dismissed the Warning Signs and failed to stop the Genocide|title=Rwanda Genocide |editor=Christina Fisanick |isbn=0737719869|language=English|pages=58–67|oclc=773806724 |publisher=Greenhaven Press}} Cricket – a Bridge of Peace,{{Cite book|last=Khan|first=Shaharyar M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=veqBAAAAMAAJ|title=Cricket: a bridge of peace|date=2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=9780195978360|language=English|oclc=607570308|access-date=29 June 2020|archive-date=24 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324174200/https://books.google.com/books?id=veqBAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}} about India-Pakistan relations, is his third book. His most personal book was the biography of his mother Princess Abida Sultaan – Memoirs of a Rebel Princess,{{Cite book|last=Sultaan|first=Abida|title=Memoirs of a rebel princess|date=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-579958-3|location=Oxford|language=English|oclc=857280302}} which has been translated into Urdu.{{Cite book|last=Sultaan|first=Abida|title=ʻĀbidah Sult̤ān, ek inqilābī shahzādī kī k̲h̲vudnavisht|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-597907-7|location=Karācī|language=Urdu|oclc=217265251}} In 2013, with his son Ali Khan, he wrote Cricket Cauldron: The Turbulent Politics of Sport in Pakistan.{{Cite book|last1=Khan|first1=Shaharyar M|title=Cricket cauldron: the turbulent politics of sport in Pakistan|last2=Khan|first2=Ali|date=2013|publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=978-1-78076-083-4|location=London|language=English|oclc=1056951489}} He also co-authored Shadows Across the Playing Field: 60 Years of India-Pakistan Cricket (2009) with Indian writer and politician Shashi Tharoor.{{Cite book|last1=Tharoor|first1=Shashi|title=Shadows across the playing field: 60 years of India-Pakistan cricket|last2=Khan|first2=Shaharyar M|date=2009|publisher=Roli Books|isbn=978-81-7436-718-1|location=New Delhi|language=English|oclc=426032999}}

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board

Khan served as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from 10 December 2003 till he resigned on 7 October 2006.{{cite news |title=Shaharyar Khan resigns from PCB |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/shaharyar-khan-resigns-from-pcb-261658 |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=6 October 2006 |language=en}} In 2003, took over the board in turmoil. His tenure is remembered more for Pakistan's 2006 forfeit of the Oval test after being penalised for ball tampering.

On 16 August 2014, he was again appointed the chairman of the PCB.{{cite web |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1125723/pcb-unanimously-elects-shahryar-khan-as-chairman |title=PCB unanimously elects Shahryar Khan as chairman – Sport |date=16 August 2014 |publisher=Dawn.Com |access-date=17 August 2014 |archive-date=17 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817151054/http://www.dawn.com/news/1125723/pcb-unanimously-elects-shahryar-khan-as-chairman |url-status=live }} Khan was appointed chairman after he was elected unanimously by the board of governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board{{Cite web|title=Latest Sports News, Live Scores, Results Today's Sports Headlines Updates – NDTV Sports|url=https://sports.ndtv.com/|access-date=7 June 2020|website=NDTVSports.com|language=en|archive-date=6 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606230115/https://sports.ndtv.com/|url-status=live}} in the light of the new constitution of the PCB 2014 which was approved by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was once again appointed the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board on 18 August 2014. In September 2015, he launched the Pakistan Super League.{{cite news |title=Pakistan Super League launched in star-studded event |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/960499/pakistan-super-league-launched-in-star-studded-event/ |work=The Express Tribune |date=20 September 2015 |language=en}} He retired from the position in 2017 after completing his term.{{cite news |title=PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan set to resign |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pcb-chairman-shaharyar-khan-set-to-resign-1089352 |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=31 March 2017 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Najam Sethi replaces Shaharyar Khan as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/sports/najam-sethi-replaces-shaharyar-khan-as-pakistan-cricket-board-chairman |work=Khaleej Times |date=9 August 2017 |language=en}}

In March 2016, Pakistan was eliminated from the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 after losing three matches against India, New Zealand and Australia and only winning against Bangladesh. This caused great controversy over whose 'fault' it was. Khan was amongst those blamed and there were talks about him retiring from the PCB after this. However, he later spoke out and said he would not resign.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/cricketnext/news/pcb-chairman-shaharyar-khan-says-he-is-not-stepping-down-1224369.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404035037/http://www.ibnlive.com/cricketnext/news/pcb-chairman-shaharyar-khan-says-he-is-not-stepping-down-1224369.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2016|title=PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan says he is not stepping down|website=IBNLive|access-date=2 April 2016}} He also said it would be better to bring in a foreign coach, implying that Waqar Younis's coaching contract, which ended in June 2016, would not be renewed. Furthermore, Khan did not release any statements on who he thought was responsible for the loss,{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/a-blow-by-blow-account-of-pakistan-cricket/|title=A blow by blow account of Pakistan cricket|date=2 April 2016|website=The Indian Express|access-date=2 April 2016|archive-date=5 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405022102/http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/a-blow-by-blow-account-of-pakistan-cricket/|url-status=live}} but instead, he said before the match that he would not change Afridi's position because he had been 'serving Pakistan for the last 20 years'. Khan added that changes would happen after the tournament but also noted that the poor performance was from the whole team, except certain individuals.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12343/10190957/pakistan-cricket-chief-shaharyar-khan-blasts-asia-cup-performance|title=Shaharyar Khan unhappy with Pakistan's Asia Cup performance|website=Sky Sports|access-date=2 April 2016|archive-date=10 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410010544/http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12343/10190957/pakistan-cricket-chief-shaharyar-khan-blasts-asia-cup-performance|url-status=live}}

Personal life and death

Khan met Minoo Khan, a student at the Queen's College in London in 1957, and married her in 1958 in Karachi.{{Cite web |last1=University |first1=© Stanford |last2=Stanford |last3=California 94305 |title=Oral history with Shahryar Khan, 2016 May 31 |url=https://exhibits.stanford.edu/1947-partition/catalog/gh485jy8250 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=The 1947 Partition Archive – Spotlight at Stanford |language=en |archive-date=22 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222154712/https://exhibits.stanford.edu/1947-partition/catalog/gh485jy8250 |url-status=live }}{{Cite book |last=Puthran |first=Aayush |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Ht4EAAAQBAJ&dq=shahryar+khan+%22minoo+khan%22&pg=PT12 |title=Unveiling Jazbaa: A History of Pakistan Women's Cricket |date=14 July 2022 |publisher=Birlinn Ltd |isbn=978-1-913538-81-1 |language=en |access-date=24 March 2024 |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324174155/https://books.google.com/books?id=6Ht4EAAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PT12&dq=shahryar+khan+%22minoo+khan%22&hl=en#v=onepage&q=shahryar%20khan%20%22minoo%20khan%22&f=false |url-status=live }}

Shahryar Khan died on 23 March 2024 in Lahore, at the age of 89.{{cite news |title=Veteran diplomat and ex-PCB chief Shaharyar Khan dies at 89 |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1823307 |work=DAWN |date=23 March 2024 |language=en}} He was buried in Bhopal House in Malir, Karachi.{{cite news |title=Shaharyar Khan laid to rest |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1823611 |work=DAWN |date=25 March 2024 |language=en}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}