Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk

(24 March 1841 - 17 January 1917)

Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk Kamboh or Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulq Maulvi also known as Mushtaq Hussain Zuberi a Muslim (1841 AD- 1917 AD) born in the Meerut in 24 March 1841 was a Muslim politician and one of the founders of All India Muslim League. Nawab Mushtak AHmad Zuberi or Nawab Vikar Ul Mulk was also the maternal uncle of Sir Ziauddin Ahmed Zuberi a renowned mathematician and pillar of Aligarh Movement.

Early Life

He came of reputed Kamboh (Zuberi) Arain lineage of Shaikh Abdul Momin Kamboh who held the office of Dewan-e-Tun in Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan's reign, and Muslim Kambohs of Meerut. Waqar-ul-Mulk did his engineering from Engineering College, Roorki(Roorkee). He served as a Law Secretary in the Government of Hyderabad State, Deccanfor some time and then joined Revenue Department. Later he was appointed Governor of "WARARANGLE", the newly established State and with his untiring efforts, the state soon became very prosperous. Waqar-ul-Mulk received the title of Nawab Intezar Jungfrom the Government of Hyderabad. Then he was appointed Revenue Secretary with the orders of Nizam of Daccan. He served as Secretary, Personal Secretary & Advisor to the Prime Minister Nawab Bashiral Daulla and eventually he became deputy Prime Minister of Hyderabad.

Aligarh Movement

On December 9, 1890, he was conferred the title of Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk. On October 1892, Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk joined M.A.O. college in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. He was a great admirer of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. He was one of the most ardent followers of Sir Syed and a very active worker of his camp. For the Scientific Society he translated a book ‘French Revolution and Napoleon’. When the College Fund Committee was formed, he became one of its members and worked ceaselessly for popularizing the movement of Sir Syed. He raised a huge amount of Rs. Seven Lakhs and 50 thousand for the establishment of the M. A. O. College. Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk also remained a member of Scientific Society since 1866. In 1907, he was appointed Honorary Secretary of M.A.O. College.

Founding of Muslim League

Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk was one of the founders of the Muslim League. In December 1906, the quartet Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk, Sir Agha Khan, Sir Shafi of Lahore and Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dhaka organised a All India Muhammadan Educational Conference in Calcutta and on the same occasion, they also launched a new party called Muslim League of which Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk became General Secretary. Thus he was the founding father of Muslim league and Pakistan.

Title of “Nawab”

In 1908, the Government of India honored him with the title of Nawab.

Influence

Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk- has carved a niche for himself in the history of the Aligarh movement as Sir Syed's close confidante and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the MAO College from 1907 to 1914, during a very turbulent phase of the history of the institution. He also played a role in shaping far-reaching political developments as one of the founders of the All India Muslim League of which he was the first Joint Secretary. By all accounts he was a very stern, uncompromising person not given to levity and humor so characteristic of the Muslim elite of the age. Someone writes of him as a person "who commanded respect and fear rather than affection." It was the magnetizing personality of Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk which had induced Quaid-e-Azam (Jinnah) to join the All India Muslim League which fact changed the history of Indian subcontinent. The welcome address given by Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk on the occasion is an important document for the Muslims.

Last Days

Due to bad health, Nawab Waqar-ul Mulk gave up the Secretaryship of Aligarh in 1912 and after a prolonged illness, he died on January 27, 1917.