Political Career
Formerly a member of the Indian National Congress, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan had served as an elected member of the Central Legislative Assembly (1937–38) as well as the deputy leader of the Congress in the Assembly. He once claimed to be an ardent admirer of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, so much so that he authored a book: Gold and Guns, in which he praised the leadership of Bacha Khan and his political vision and mission. However, he later embittered Jinnah against him by warning him that Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was plotting his assassination.
He joined the Muslim League in the mid-1940s and became a key figure in the Pakistan movement in N.W.F.P now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An honest man, but a strict ruler, he was known for his development work in the province, especially for the construction of Peshawar University, primary education, hydro-electric projects like the Warsak dam and his deep dislike as well as brutal suppression of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. His role in ordering the Babra Sharif massacre is one which he faces much criticism for, that in combination with the brutal crackdown against his former colleagues in the Congress party earned him their lasting hatred. He led the Muslim League to a landslide victory in the controversial 1951 elections, despite opposition from the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and opposition from Federally backed fellow Muslim league opponents like Yusuf Khattak.
He served as Central Minister for Industries, Food and Agriculture Minister in 1953.
Arrested by the Ayub Khan regime, he was disqualified from politics and imprisoned for two years before finally being released.
Contesting the 1970 elections from three seats as leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Qayyum faction he won two National Assembly seats one provincial seat and in 1973 entered into alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after East Pakistan broke away in the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Appointed Federal interior Minister by Zulfiqar Bhutto he served in that post till the 1977 elections when his party suffered a near total rout. After Zia-ul-Haqs assumption of power, Qayyum Khan tried to unify all the disparate Muslim League factions. His efforts were inconclusive and he died on 22 October 1981.
He was always opposed by Khan Habibullah Khan; they were lifelong rivals since they were young class-mates at Islamia College, Peshawar.
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