Assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan

On 16 October 1951, at approximately 4:30 pm, Liaquat Ali Khan, the prime minister of Pakistan, was shot dead while addressing a gathering at Company Bagh (known today as Liaquat Bagh) in Rawalpindi. The police immediately shot Sayyid Akbar Babrak, the murderer who was later identified as an Afghan national. The assassination of Khan remains one of the most significant and unresolved political murders in Pakistan's history.

Khan had served as the first Prime Minister of Pakistan since its creation in 1947, and he was one of the central figures in the country's early political and economic development. His leadership was marked by efforts to stabilize the newly-formed nation, promote economic reforms, and strengthen ties with the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Despite his critical role, his death left the country in political turmoil and uncertainty, with numerous theories surrounding the motives and the identity of the true mastermind.

In the wake of his assassination, the investigation quickly pointed to Sayyid Akbar, but little was discovered about his background or the reasoning behind his actions. Theories surrounding the assassination range from personal grievances to speculation about a conspiracy involving foreign or domestic interests, though no conclusive evidence has emerged to date. Khan's death created a power vacuum in Pakistan's leadership, and the country struggled with political instability in the years that followed.