Caretaker KP chief minister Azam Khan passes away

PESHAWAR: The caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakthunkhwa Muhammad Azam Khan passed away in a hospital here at about 10:30am on Saturday. He was 89.

Azam Khan was taken to the hospital with a severe stomach infection and kept in the Intensive Care Unit on Friday night. However, he passed away on Saturday morning. He was also suffering from different ailments for long and had been in a very poor health. His funeral prayer was held at his hometown of Charsadda before burial there on Saturday evening.

It may be mentioned here that Azam Khan had assumed the charge as the caretaker chief minister on January 21, 2023.

Under the law, after the death of the chief minister, his cabinet stands dissolved.

Career of Azam Khan

Hailing from the Parrang area of Charsadda district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azam Khan was a graduate of the historic Islamia College and completed his barrister studies from the UK in 1962 and joined the civil service in the same year. His first posting was as an assistant commissioner in Peshawar.

Khan later served as the minister for finance of the province in the caretaker government from October 2007 to April 2008, and also as the planning and development minister. In the interim government of 2018, Azam Khan was appointed the federal interior minister.

From 1990 to 1993, he was also the chief secretary of the province. After serving on many important positions, he had retired as a federal secretary. After retirement, he joined the United Nations and was the head of several important projects.

Belonging to an influential political family, he obtained a degree in law from the Peshawar University. Later, he went to London’s Lincoln’s Inn college for his bar at law degree. Azam Khan was known to be an expert in administrative affairs, having served on important positions in KP, the country, as well as internationally.