Roedad Khan
- April 21, 2024
- 100 years
About Roedad Khan
Roedad Khan, 100, Pakistani civil servant and politician, secretary of industries and production (1958–1969), interior secretary (1978–1988), and minister of accountability (1990–1993).
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Full Biography
|Roedad Khan (28 September 1923 – 21 April 2024) was a Pakistani politician and civil servant. He was a leading figure in Pakistan from the start to the end of the Cold War. During his long career, Khan was one of the most senior civil servants of Pakistan.
Khan joined the Civil Services of Pakistan in 1949 and has held several appointments, including those of Chief Secretary Sindh, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Managing Director PTV, Information Secretary of Pakistan, Secretary Ministry of Labour, Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Interior Secretary of Pakistan, Secretary General Ministry of Interior, Federal Minister of Accountability and Adviser to the PM of Pakistan and the President of Pakistan.
Personal life
Khan was born in a small village of Mardan, North-West Frontier Province, British India, to an ethnic Pashtun family of the Yusufzai tribe.
Education
In 1939, he graduated from local high school and went on to attend Forman Christian College and gained a BA in English Literature in 1942. The atmosphere at the College was liberal, tolerant and progressive.
Respecting his father's wishes, Khan attended the Aligarh Muslim University and gained an MA in English history in 1946.
Upon his return to Mardan, Khan taught history at Islamia College, Peshawar and opted for Pakistani citizenship in 1947.
Later life and death
Khan turned 100 on 28 September 2023, and died on 21 April 2024.
Civil service career
In 1949, Khan joined the elite Pakistan Administrative Service, formerly known as DMG, of the Central Superior Services. He started his career in 1951 as the Secretary of Chief Minister of Sindh Provincial Government.
His career was at peak when he served with Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan, General Zia-ul-Haq, responsible for the country's internal security while intelligence efforts were built up to sabotage Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan.
A part of General's Zia policy to enhance the secret establishment, Khan served as its elite member. After the fall of communism, Khan officially retired from Pakistan's politics and civil services and went on to become a political analyst.
Before being appointed the Secretary General, he held the position of Interior Secretary of Pakistan.
Khan went on to become the Secretary General of Pakistan, the highest rank in Pakistani bureaucracy, which could only be achieved after retirement by those who had served at BPS-22 grade, a position no longer in place.
Khan had held major public offices during the regime of President General Zia-ul-Haq and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. He is also author of three books.
Length of career
During his long career, Khan served with five Presidents of Pakistan namely, Muhammad Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and Ghulam Ishaq Khan.
Khan served with three Prime Ministers of Pakistan.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roedad_Khan
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Roedad Khan's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Roedad Khan born?
- A.21 April 2024
- B.15 August 1947
- C.28 September 1923correct
- D.10 January 1951
Roedad Khan was born on 28 September 1923 in a village in Mardan.
Source: Biography introduction
2.What was the tribal heritage of Roedad Khan?
- A.Afridi
- B.Mohmand
- C.Khattak
- D.Yusufzaicorrect
Roedad Khan was born to an ethnic Pashtun family of the Yusufzai tribe.
Source: Personal life section
3.In what subject did Roedad Khan obtain his BA degree in 1942?
- A.English History
- B.Political Science
- C.English Literaturecorrect
- D.Public Administration
Roedad Khan attended Forman Christian College and gained a BA in English Literature in 1942.
Source: Education section
4.Which university did Roedad Khan attend to fulfill his father's wishes?
- A.Aligarh Muslim Universitycorrect
- B.Forman Christian College
- C.Islamia College
- D.University of Peshawar
Respecting his father's wishes, Roedad Khan attended the Aligarh Muslim University.
Source: Education section
5.In what year did Roedad Khan join the Civil Services of Pakistan?
- A.1946
- B.1951
- C.1949correct
- D.1947
Roedad Khan joined the Civil Services of Pakistan in 1949.
Source: Biography introduction
6.What was Roedad Khan's first role when he started his career in 1951?
- A.Information Secretary
- B.Secretary of Chief Minister of Sindhcorrect
- C.Minister of Accountability
- D.Managing Director of PTV
Roedad Khan started his career in 1951 as the Secretary of the Chief Minister of the Sindh Provincial Government.
Source: Civil service career section
7.Which Pakistani President was Roedad Khan serving under when his career was at its peak?
- A.Muhammad Ayub Khan
- B.Yahya Khan
- C.Ghulam Ishaq Khan
- D.General Zia-ul-Haqcorrect
Roedad Khan's career was at its peak when he served with General Zia-ul-Haq.
Source: Civil service career section
8.What was the highest rank Roedad Khan held in the Pakistani bureaucracy?
- A.Secretary General of Pakistancorrect
- B.Chief Secretary Sindh
- C.Federal Minister of Accountability
- D.Interior Secretary of Pakistan
Roedad Khan became the Secretary General of Pakistan, which was the highest rank in the Pakistani bureaucracy.
Source: Civil service career section
9.How many Presidents of Pakistan did Roedad Khan serve with during his career?
- A.Fivecorrect
- B.Three
- C.Four
- D.Six
During his long career, Roedad Khan served with five Presidents of Pakistan.
Source: Length of career section
10.How many Prime Ministers of Pakistan did Roedad Khan serve with?
- A.Two
- B.Seven
- C.Threecorrect
- D.Five
The biography states that Roedad Khan served with three Prime Ministers of Pakistan.
Source: Length of career section
11.What activity did Roedad Khan pursue after he retired from civil service?
- A.University professor
- B.Diplomatic ambassador
- C.Political analystcorrect
- D.Journalist
After retiring from politics and civil service, Roedad Khan went on to become a political analyst.
Source: Civil service career section
12.How many books is Roedad Khan credited as having authored?
- A.One
- B.Threecorrect
- C.Four
- D.Two
Roedad Khan is described in the text as the author of three books.
Source: Civil service career section
13.What was the title of the book authored by Roedad Khan in 2011?
- A.Memoirs of a Civil Servant
- B.The Zia-ul-Haq Years
- C.Pakistan: A Dream Gone Sourcorrect
- D.My Life in Pakistan
The bibliography lists the book titled Pakistan, a Dream Gone Sour, published in 2011 by Roedad Khan.
Source: Bibliography section
14.Where did Roedad Khan teach history after returning to Mardan?
- A.Forman Christian College
- B.Islamia College, Peshawarcorrect
- C.Aligarh Muslim University
- D.University of Sindh
Upon his return to Mardan, Roedad Khan taught history at Islamia College, Peshawar.
Source: Education section
15.At what age did Roedad Khan die?
- A.100correct
- B.102
- C.99
- D.101
Roedad Khan turned 100 on 28 September 2023 and passed away on 21 April 2024.
Source: Later life and death section
16.Which department was Roedad Khan responsible for as a Secretary from 1958 to 1969?
- A.Ministry of Tourism
- B.Industries and Productioncorrect
- C.Ministry of Information
- D.Ministry of Labour
Roedad Khan served as the secretary of industries and production from 1958 to 1969.
Source: Biography introduction
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