G.N.Kazi
For Men May Come and Men May Go
By Masood H Kizilbash
Islamabad, Pakistan
Most of men strut and fret their hours on the stage and are heard no more. There are only a few in millions who leave a name that does not perish in dust. A. G.N.Kazi who passed away last week, was one of those fortunate few.
He belonged to the last batch of the Indian Civil Service under the British Raj, outcompeting his colleagues in the examination. Scion of famous Kazi family from ‘Pat’ in District Dadu, he opted to serve Pakistan on its creation on 14 th August, 1947. He served the state with exemplary integrity, singular devotion and passionate patriotism. He was a part of that team which ensured the survival of Pakistan in the formative years of its existence. Paying tributes to this coterie of officials, Lawrence Ziring in his book titled “Pakistan at the crosscurrent of history” observes that “the selflessness exhibited by government officials in those first trying weeks, and the discipline and professionalism of the career officers were a tribute to Jinnah’s looming presence. So much had been sacrificed and so many depended upon the integrity of those in key positions that no one was permitted to consider failure an option.”
Throughout his checkered career holding key positions in the service of his state, he never compromised the values that he stood for- patriotism, honesty, professionalism, respect for rule of law and an innate abhorrence of caste, creed and provincialism in the official business of the state.
I distinctly recollect that after becoming Prime Minister, late Muhammad Khan Junejo visited Karachi where Kazi Sahib was serving as Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and tried to prevail upon him to accept the post of Finance Minister in his cabinet. Kazi Sahib regretted his inability to hold any political post. His persuasions spurned on the point of the principle, he was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission with the rank of a Minister and V.A.Jafferey the then Deputy Chairman was posted as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
The management of the whole economy of Pakistan was placed by the Prime Minister under his care. It was a Herculean task and he needed a Special Asst. to help him. His eyes fell on me and he cautioned me that the papers and documents being secret should be kept by me in my personal custody. I served under him for several years, drawing schedule of meetings of several dozen committees working under him under the orders of the cabinet or the Prime Minister, preparing briefs and minutes, and drafting of the summaries for the Cabinet/Prime Minister for his approval.
It was during this period that I learnt so much from KaziSahib, the city of knowledge that when asked about my alma mater, I named it as theA.G.N.Kazi University.
Kazi Sahib was a Pakistani first and last. I recall a meeting of a committee for approving a project of gas distribution. It envisaged a certain design which benefitted Sind more than Punjab. A senior participant raised the objection on this ground. Grief-stricken Kazi Sahib replied that how long will it take us to become Pakistanis. On another occasion, he was asked by a senior civil servant about his domicile. Kazi Sahib told him that he was born in Sind, his wife in the United Province, his children in Karachi and the wife of his son in Punjab. He could give him any domicile.
A serious objection was raised by the US Government in the context of the provision in the Commodity Credit Agreement about Pakistan’s contract with Turkey for the import of split gram (dal) to tide over the food deficit in the country at that time. The US government dispatched Director of USAID to Pakistan. During the meeting, it was explained that it was a one-time purchase and if the item was allowedtobe imported on a regular basis from the USA it would adversely affect our agriculture, The Director became angry and threatened to take up the issue with the Prime Minister. Kazi Sahib calmly replied that should he wish he could take up the issue with him.
Humility abounded in him. After dismissal of the Junejo government by Zia-ul-Huq in May 1988, it was a coincident that Kazi Sahib was the only person having the status of a Minister. When Zia-ul-Huq asked him to fly the flag on his official car, he did not oblige him. The matter did not end there. The Secretary, Ministry of Interior posted an armed guard. Kazi Sahib sent him back. The officials in the Ministry of Interior thought that perhaps Kazi Sahib did not like the guard. The Secretary of the Ministry again rang him up with the suggestion that he could send a batch of the guards to choose from. He told the Secretary that he was quite safe without a guard!
Enjoying the powers of de facto Deputy Prime Minister, KaziSahib behaved like a commoner, never asking for keeping the lift in wait for him. He rather preferred to use the stairs to go up to his office on the second floor. He also never used any official car other than the one provided by the Office. Once his grand- son did not return on time. He went down after office hours and in spite of every one running to provide him another official car, he walked down to his apartment in the State Bank Building.
A.G.N.Kazi has left behind rich literature on all facets of our economy. I have to this day retained some of the valuable treasure to benefit there from. I just wonder if the policy-makers ever venture to look into it for fixing endemic problems faced by the economy except Kazi formula for distribution of net profit from hydel-generation of electricity, notified in 1988.
KaziSahib stands out in those very few who helped the country become functional against all hopes of its early collapse by the Indian leadership as well as forecasts of international media. His contribution in building up the edifice of the state has immortalized him in the ranks of those who do not die. He will live forever, as Lord Alfred Tennyson puts it:
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
(The writer is a retired Joint Chief Economist/Addl. Secretary, Government of Pakistan.-masood_ kizilbash@ hotmail. com)
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