Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistani politician and diplomat, Died at 95

Yaqub Ali Khan Urdu was born on December 23, 1920, and died on January 26, 2016.

He was a high-profile figure and high-ranking general.

He held the most senior and prestigious military and government assignments in the Pakistan Government and was also the primary the international face of Pakistan for three decades.

He first served as the Foreign minister, military government of President General Zia-ul-Haq from 1982 to 1991 until the dying days of Cold War, and then also served as the caretaker Foreign minister from 1996 to 1997.

While he was as Major-General, he commanded the combatant 1st Armoured Division during the 1965 September war against India and posted in East-Pakistan shortly after the war was ended.

In the year 1967, Yaqub was elevated as the Chief of General Staff of the Eastern Military High Command under Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan and succeeded Admiral Ahsan as commander of eastern command in 1971.

After Khan Urdu did not restore peace, Yaqub Khan was recalled to West-Pakistan where he commanded the combatant corps against India and took a voluntarily retirement from the army.

In the year 1973, Yaqub entered in foreign service assuming the diplomatic post of Pakistan Ambassador to the United States.

The Soviet Union and France, which he held until 1979.

When he returned, he was recalled for his military service by then-Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq in 1980, re-assuming the foreign military in 1982.

He became an international figure after he played a central role in the UN-sanctioned negotiations to end the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan Soviet Socialist Republic, and also took part to end the civil war in Nicaragua, as he was the point man of the United Nations.

Sahabzada Yaqub Khan passed away at 95 yrs old.