Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan (7 December 1924 – 26 December 2014) was a Pakistani businesswoman, politician, industrialist and a social worker from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. She was chairperson of the Saif Group of companies from 1964 to 1990. Begum Kulsum served as a parliamentarian and a federal minister in Pakistan in the 1970s and 1980s.[1][2][3]
Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 December 1924 |
| Died | 26 December 2014 (aged 90) |
| Nationality |  Pakistan |
| Occupation(s) | politician, businesswoman |
| Spouse |
Khan Saifullah Khan (aged 48)
(m. 1944; died 1964) |
| Awards | Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Distinction) Award by the President of Pakistan in 2008 |
Early life and career edit
Kulsum was born in 1924 in Karak in Kohat into a Pashtun family. She was a sister of two Pakistani politicians of the area Muhammad Aslam Khan Khattak and Yusuf Khattak.[1]
Kulsum was married to a then well-known businessman of Ghaznikhel Lakki Marwat, Khan Saifullah Khan, who was a Khan of the Marwat Tribe. She had five sons with him: Anwar Saifullah Khan, Salim Saifullah Khan, Humayun Saifullah Khan, Javed Saifullah Khan and the Cardiologist Iqbal Saifullah Khan.[1]
She went ahead and developed her late husband's business to the extent that as of 2017; it is one of the leading business conglomerates of Pakistan in the fields of textiles, power generation, oil and gas exploration and telecommunications industries.[1]
She was jailed during General Zia Ul-Haq's presidency in Pakistan.[3]
Awards, death and legacy edit
- Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Distinction) by the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf in 2008.[4][3]
- Begum Kulsum had the distinction of being the first woman federal minister in Pakistan's history. She had also served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.[2][3]
- When her husband Saifullah Khan suddenly died on 4 April 1964 at the age of 48, she stepped forward to take over his business despite her lack of formal business training and her responsibilities of raising a family. She later wrote a book on her business management and business dealings called 'Meri Tanha Parwaz' (My Solo Flight) published in 2011.[1][3]
- In Pakistan, she was socially very active as well. Begum Kulsum was a founding member of All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) since 1947. She worked closely with and was an advisor to Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, the founder of APWA, till 1951.[2][3]
Death edit
- She died on 26 January 2014 at age 90.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Iftikhar Marwat (27 January 2015). "Begum Kulsum Saifullah passes away". The News International (newspaper). Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ a b c Zahir Shah Sherazi (26 January 2015). "Pakistan's first female federal minister Begum Kulsoom Saifullah Khan passes away". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Formidable Pashtu Lady (Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan) Archived 2020-11-19 at the Wayback Machine Newsweek Pakistan website, Published 9 February 2015, Retrieved 13 November 2020
- ^ Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan's Hilal-i-Imtiaz Award listed on Dawn (newspaper), Published 24 March 2008, Retrieved 1 October 2017
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