Khan, Mahamud Husain

Khan, Mahamud Husain (1907-?) educationist, politician. Mahamud Hussain was born on 15 July 1907 at Karimganj in India. He had his higher education from Delhi University, Aligarh University and Ottawa University of Canada. He obtained PhD degree from Heidelberg University of Germany in 1932, and later DLit (Honoris causa) from the same university.

Mahamud Husain Khan started his professional career in 1933 as Reader of History in the Dhaka University. He was also the Provost of Fazlul Haq Hall (1944). In 1948, he was posted as Professor of International Relations of the Dhaka University.

Mahamud Husain Khan joined Muslim League politics in 1949. He was elected member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in 1949 and the Parliamentary Secretary of the party. Mahamud Husain Khan was the Deputy Minister for Defense, State and Frontier Regions (1949), Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations of Pakistan (1949), State Minister for State and Frontier Regions (1950), and Cabinet Minister for Kashmir Affairs (1951) and Minister for Education (1952-53).

Mahamud Husain Khan returned to his teaching job in 1953 as Professor of History in the University of Karachi and continued there till 1960. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Dhaka University in December 1960 which office he held till February 1963. Later he worked as visiting professor of History of Southeast Asia at Heidelberg University (1963-64), visiting Professor of Columbia University (1964-65) and of Pennsylvania University (1965-66).

In 1966, Mahamud Husain Khan joined the University of Karachi as Professor of History and later worked there as Dean of the Faculty of Arts till 1971 when he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Mahamud Husain was associated with a number of socio-cultural organisations. He was a member of the Pakistan Sterling Balance Delegation (1948), chairman of the Board of Editors of the book History of Freedom Movement of the Muslims in Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent (1952), founder president of the Council of National Education (1952), president of the Pakistan Muslim Association (1955-58), chairman of the committee for preparing syllabus for Darul Ulum and Arabic madrasa (1960), president of the Pakistan Library Association (1956-64), and editor of Jam'iya Educational Quarterly (1960). He is the author of a number of books and research articles. His book Quest for Empire (1937) is an authentic work on contemporary history. He translated into urdu the Social Contract of Russeau and The Prince of Machiaveli with annotation and a preface. [Muazzam Hussain Khan]