Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah asked a question to President General Ayub Khan in 1964. She asked that American military aid to India was the talk of the town. And India would use this aid against Pakistan. "I want to know how it happened." America was your friend. Why did you lose this friend? Everyone living in the East and the West Pakistan wanted to get the answer to this question. This question came up in the early era of Ayub Khan when industrial development was fast taking place. Now it had become clear that this progress was due to Pakistan's support to America against Russia. In return Pakistan had secured economic aid from America. This aid was being spent on the construction of Tarbela, Mangla dams and many other projects. But the Indo-China war in 1962, changed the scenario. America turned its face on Pakistan and started to give military aid to India. On the one side, America was giving military aid to India on the other, India was annexing Kashmir to its territo
King Faisal was the third son of King Ibn Saud and a brother of King Saud. His mother, Tarfa, was a member of the Al ash-Sheikh family which has produced many prominent Saudi religious leaders. Tarfa was a descendant of the religious leader Muhamad bun Abdul Wahhab.
King Faisal was married with Iffat Al-Thunayan, who was born and raised in Turkey. Her ancestors were part of the Al Thunayan branch of the Al Saud family. They first met in Istanbul around 1932 while he was in Turkey for an official visit. They had nine children, including Prince Muhammad, Prince Saud, and Prince Turki. Iffat was credited with being the influence behind many of her husband’s reforms, particularly with regard to women. Faisal also raised Iffat’s younger brother, Kamal Adham. King Faisal later appointed Kamal as the first president of the Saudi intelligence agency Al Mukhabarat Al A’amah. He was also an advisor to his royal brother-in-law.
Political Life:
He was appointed foreign minister and viceroy of Hejazin 1926 after his father conquered that province, in which lies the holy city of Makkah. In 1934 he led a victorious campaign against Yemen. He represented Saudi Arabia at the United Nations Conference of 1945 and was later ambassador to the UN General Assembly.
King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is credited with rescuing the country’s finances and also implementing a policy of modernization and reform.
After Saud’s accession in 1953, Faisal became crown prince and foreign minister. In 1958, during an economic crisis, Saud gave him full executive powers. Faisal resigned in 1960 but returned in 1962, and in March 1964 he assumed all powers as viceroy. Saud was deposed by religious leaders, senior members of the ruling family, and the Council of Ministers, and Faisal became king in November 1964.
King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who outlawed slavery in Saudi Arabia in 1962 when he was serving as a Crown Prince during his brother King Saud’s reign.
King Faisal And Pakistan:
In 1947, Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize Pakistan after it gained independence from british rule, and in 1951, the two countries signed a treaty of friendship. In 1954, King Saud laid the foundation stone in Karachi of a housing scheme named after him.
King Faisal was a sincere friend and well-wisher of the people of Pakistan. He showed his sincerely on several occasions by providing all type of moral and material support. He felt deeply grieved on the separation of Pakistan.
Two years following his ascent to the throne, King Faisal in 1966 made a historic visit to Pakistan, during which the government named two roads, an airbase, a city, and a mosque after him. In 1976, the foundations for Islamabad’s famed Faisal mosque were laid by King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz himself.
Lyallpur, the third largest city of Pakistan, was renamed Faisalabad (literally, “City of Faisal”) in 1979 in his honour.
King Faisal had again visited Pakistan to attend the 1974 Islamic Summit in Lahore. On February 22 in 1974, Lahore had hosted all the leaders of the Islamic world in the summit of Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The-then Pakistani Prime Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had hoped the visit would result in increased Saudi financial aid for his country.
Arab-Israeli War:
King Faisal was against the state of Israel, because of its enmity towards the Arabs. Infect, he was aware of the aggressive designs of European block, that why he condemned the illegal occupation of Israel. He also led the oil embargo which caused the 1973 oil crisis.
It was to be the defining act of King Faisal’s career gaining him lasting prestige globally amongst those of the Arab community. In 1974, he was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year, and the financial windfall generated by the crisis fueled and economic boom that occurred in Saudi Arabia after his death. The new oil revenues allowed Faisal to greatly increase the aid and subsidies to Egypt, Syria and Palestine following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Assassination and funeral:
King Faisal was shot point-blank and killed by his half-brother’s son, Faisal bin Musaid on March 1975. When there was an event where the king or leader opens up his residence to the citizens to enter and petition the king.
King faisal was shot to his chin and ear while he was kissing his nephew according to Saudi tradition. The reason behind murder was to avenge the death of Prince Khalid bin Musaid, the brother of Prince Faisal bin Musaid.
The funeral service for King Faisal was performed in ‘Id mosque in Riyadh, and he was buried in Al Oud cemetery on 26 March 1975. His successor, King Khalid, wept over his body at his funeral.
