A Career of Service, Controversy and Rehabilitation
Born on April 24, 1922, Ikramullah Khan Niazi became one of the most renowned civil engineers in the early infrastructure development of Pakistan. His life was filled with achievements and stains of controversies dotted by attempts for redemption. While scandals and mismanagement cases arose throughout his career.
Early Life and Education
Born into the distinguished Niazi Pashtun tribe in northwestern Punjab, Niazi received his early education in Pakistan. Later, he went to the United Kingdom for higher studies and joined Imperial College London, graduating as a civil engineer in 1946. His commitment to the profession was further underlined by being made a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Niazi was not only a brilliant engineer but also a keen enthusiast for the Pakistan movement during the British Raj. Loyal and enthusiastic for the establishment of this country. He showed it through involvement with the nationalist movements.
A Turbulent Public Service Career
In 1947, independence was finally attained by Pakistan, he joined the Public Works Department as a young Civil Engineer with the newly opened department. His contribution in the early days of nation-building regarding infrastructural works was immense but with time he got involved in corruption and mismanagement issues. Linked with financial misconduct in public development projects. He was removed by the government from his post which resulted in big changes in his life path.
Ikramullah Khan Niazi charitable works
After being removed, Niazi turned to philanthropy by establishing the Pakistan Educational Society (PES) with the aim of financing higher education for poor but talented children. However, if one delves deeper into the matter, it is quite another story. Though it is true that the PES did assist some students of worth, many note his philanthropy was basically an attempt to dissolve public scrutiny of his perpetually damaged reputation. It thus came out that, other than being an actual philanthropist, the PES was some sort of PR damage control to wash his image from different corruption scandals.
A Benevolent Mask on a Rotten Base
Niazi tried to present himself as a social worker. Membership in the Pakistan Educational Society was just one more step he made to varnish the controversial past. People considered his philanthropic works as publicity for redemption and not a goodwill gesture. Its motives were also questioned for being a member of the Board of Directors at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre.
Final Days and Legacy
He breathed his last on March 19, 2008, after a long, painful struggle against illness at the age of 84 years. The disease of pneumonia brought him to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital to take his last breaths. The funeral prayers took place in Zaman Park and was buried in his family’s ancestral graveyard in Mianwali.