Haider Ali

Prolific Boxer, who rose to occasion many a times

Born: 12 Nov 1979

Won Gold Medals in:
2002: Common Wealth Games, Manchester, England
2002: 21st Asian Boxing Championship, Seremban, Malaysia
1999: SAF Games, Khatmandu, Nepal
1999: Late Imam Khomeini Boxing Tournament, Tehran, Iran
1999:Gold Medal in Green Hill International Boxing Tournament
1998: National Champion

Youngest member of Sydney Olympics(2000) national squad at 20 years, 312 days.

Best Boxer, 21st Asian Games, against 159 boxers from 27 countries

* picture courtesy of www.britishboxing.net.
Click on the picture for the source page.

Haider Ali is a living legend in Pakistan, as far as boxing and sports are concerned. Haider Ali was considered one of the most elegant and stylish stance boxer in the Asian arenas. The young multiple times International Gold Medal winner hails from Quetta, and like many previous football and boxing national players from Balouchistan, is of Hazara descent.

At 5′-8”1/2 feet and 57 kg’s, his fast pace game, thorough execution and elegance in style made him a popular boxer and an envied competitor in the boxing circles. Till Age 22, he had won every major tournament in the continent and was crowned ‘Best Boxer’ in Asia.

He went on to win the first ever Gold Medal for Pakistan in 2002 Common Wealth Games. His performance in winning Common Wealth Gold Medal made an impact of Internationally acclaimed British boxing promoters. Soon after he was made offers to turn professional.

Haider Ali, turned professional in 2003 and signed up with the promoter Frank Warren and trainer John Eames.  Though a success at amatuer level he couldn’t manage himself well in professional circle. Haider Ali, at the age of 26, retired from boxing. He has over 150 amateur and 9 professional fights to his credit.

Haider Ali is known to be the most successful boxer Pakistan has ever produced. Coming from opportunity strapped Province of Balouchistan and from often neglected Hazara ethnicity, he has gone a long way to become a figure of interantional repute. He truly is a symbol of pride for his tribe, province and the country. A true sports legend, a Pakistani hero.

More on Haider Ali:

Haider Ali’s Wikipedia Page

“Golden Ali continues East End tradition” by Martin Herman

Pakistan Sports Board boxing awards citation of Haider Ali’s career

Haider Ali’s professional record by BritishBoxing.net

* Picture used is courtesy of www.britishboxing.net. Click on the picture for the source page.

SAHABZADA MOHAMMAD YAQUB KHAN

A rare breed General, who stood up when it mattered.

Born: December 3, 1923. Rampur, India

Government Services: Pakistan Army 1940-1971, Pakistani Ambassador(France,USA,USSR) 1972-1982. Foreign Minister of Pakistan 1982-1990. Governor East Pakistan – 1969

U.N. Secy., General’s Special Envoy to Western Sahara, 1992-1997.

Founding Chairman Board of Trustees, Agha Khan University 1984 – 2001

Commissioner of the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict.

Lieutenant General (R) Sahabzada Yaqub Khan is remembered as a princely intellectual by inner circles. To others, (as for us, the 80’s & 90’s generation) he was the Foreign Minister under various governments, military and civilian.

Why is he a hero ? After all he was an Army General, who served a Military Regime ? And like many others in retired military bureaucracy, enjoyed various state offices ?

SAHABZADA MOHAMMAD YAQUB ALI KHAN, was the Chief of General Staff, Commander Eastern Command, Dhaka, of the then East Pakistan. Strictly a military position. He was however, for a brief period, care taker Governor of the then Eastern Pakistan.

Unlike any other General on record, he profoundly refused to carry out military operation against the people. He strongly opposed the idea of using military force, to settle the political uncertainty. His recommendations on how to handle the issue, how to win back the trust of the people were totally ignored by the regime in power. At last he stood up & refused to initiate the Military operation.

As an aftermath he was removed from his position, delegated from his rank, and forcefully retired. His courageous act is admired by Pakistani & Bengali historians alike, for what he had done was heroic by all means. Unlike some of the present day, media savvy retired Generals, who suddenly encounter a change of heart & come forward to defend the nation, Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, took the stand when it mattered the most.

We do need Generals like him. The ones who can stand up to the Army Chiefs, and say ‘No’ to their extra constitutional ambitions. I reckon he is one of his kind, a rare breed, A General who is actually a hero.

More on Sahabzada Yaqub Ali Khan:

• Biography: Strategy, Diplomacy, Humanity: Life and Work of Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan by Anwar Dil
• We can also read about him in ‘Memoirs of the Rebel Princess’ by Abida Sultan
• Also in the British High Commission Intelligence Documents of 1966, declassified later on.

Related Web Links:

• Wikipedia article
• Defence Journal article by M. Zafar
• Nation Master Encyclopedia Rampur (UP) Column
• Nation Master Encyclopedia Biographical Column
• 3 Quarks Daily Article by S. Abbas Raza

Technorati Tags:

• Sahabzada Mohammad Yaqub Khan
• Hero
• East Pakistan
• Prince of Pataudi
• General
• Foriegn Minister
• Ambassador

*The picture used here is taken from Wikipedia, provided in the public domain by the Federal Government of United States.